FEOlf 


CAPE     COD 


TO 


DIXIE  AID  THE  TROPICS. 


BY 

J.  MILTON   MACKIE, 

AUTHOR     OF     "C08A8     DB     K8PANA,"     ETC. 


"Toward  the  Sun!" 

Old  Motto. 


NEW  YORK: 
P.    PUTNAM,    441    BROADWAY. 

1864. 


ENTEBED,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1S64,  by 

G.  P.  PUTNAM, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Southern  District  of  New  York. 


JOHN   F.  TKOW, 

PRINTKR  AND  STEREOTVPER, 

50  Greene  Street. 


PRE  F A  C  E. 


sketches  of  travel  were  written  before 
-•-  the  breaking  out  of  the  present  rebellion 
in  the  Southern  States  ;  but  as,  on  the  occurrence 
of  this  event,  letters  very  properly  yielded  to 
arms,  they  were  withheld  from  publication. 

JSTow,  however,  wrhen  the  public  mind  is  turn 
ing  to  books  for  momentary  relief  from  the  long- 
drawn  story  of  battles  and  campaigns,  it  may  not 
be  ill-timed  to  give  to  the  press  an  account  of 
a  pleasure  journey,  made,  in  part,  through  the 
Southern  States  ;  and  a  portion  of  Avhich  may 
serve  as  a  memento  of  the  happy  days — not  soon 
to  return,  I  fear — when  there  existed  between  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Northern  and  Southern  sec 
tions  of  the  country  a  free  interchange  of  ser 
vices  and  hospitalities. 

It  is,  indeed,  the  great  business  of  the  nation. 


4  PREFA  CE. 

at  the  present  crisis,  to  bring  back  to  the  Union 
by  force  of  arms  its  erring,  misguided  members  ; 
but,  while  we  of  the  North  are  intent  on  subdu 
ing  them,  there  is  a  satisfaction  in  showing  that 
we  neither  hate  nor  despise  them  ;  and  I  am 
happy  to  contribute  my  humble  mite  in  proof 
that  we  cherish  pleasant  reminiscences  of  our 
former  friendship,  and  shall  be  ready,  on  the  res 
toration  of  peace,  to  give  to  the  returning  States 
every  right  and  privilege  consistent  with  the 
safety,  dignity,  and  welfare  of  the  united  re 
public. 

GREAT  BARRINGTON,  MASS.,  April,  1864. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAP.  PAGE 

I.— THE  START 7 

II. — WASHINGTON 10 

III. — THE  VIRGINIA  SPRINGS 20 

IV. — FIVE  UNPROTECTED  LADIES 33 

V. — THE  WARM  SPRINGS 42 

VI. — THE  WHITE  SULPHUR 61 

VII. — THROUGH  VIRGINIA  AND  CAROLINA 86 

VIII.— CHARLESTON 93 

IX. — SAVANNAH 110 

X. — A  GEORGIA  RAILWAY 123 

XL — DOWN  THE  ALABAMA 131 

XIL— MOBILE 138 

XIII. — THE  LOWER  MISSISSIPPI 152 

XIV. — NEW  ORLEANS 156 

XV. — LAKE  PONTCHARTRAIN 169 

XVI.— UP  THE  MISSISSIPPI 172 

XVIL— A  SUGAR  PLANTATION .' 179 

XVIIL— A  WESTERN  HOTEL 189 

XIX.— FROM  NEW  ORLEANS  TO  HAVANA 209 

XX.— A  HAVANA  HOTEL.  .  219 


6  CONTENTS. 

CHAP.  PAGE 

XXL— MY  FIRST  VOLANTE 232 

XXIL— DOLCE  FAR  NIENTE 237 

XXIII.— THE  PASEO  TACON 247 

XXIV. — CHURCH  AND  OPERA 253 

XXV. — ORANGES  AND  THE  QUAYS 260 

XXVI.— THE  CERRO 267 

XXVII.— EXCURSIONS 272 

XXVIII.— A  CUBAN  STEAMER 283 

XXIX.— FIGHTING  COCKS 292 

XXX.— A  MATANZAS  FONDA 297 

XXXI.— THE  CUMBRE 303 

XXXII.— A  CUBAN  RAILWAY 311 

XXXIII.— NASSAU— A  WINTER  NEWPORT 318 

XXXIV.— SANTA  CRUZ  AND  ITS  FREEDMEN 349 

XXXV.— ST.  THOMAS 376 

XXXVI— THE  BERMUDAS 385 

XXXVII.— CAPE  COD...  396 


CHAPTER    I. 

The   Start. 


w^  ^°  a  ^tle  nearer  to  the  sun,"  said 
I  to  the  gentle  one  by  my  side,  the  morn 
ing  after  marriage  —  and,  at  the  same  time,  looking 
vacantly  enough  at  a  huge  porcelain  stove,  across  the 
room,  an  heirloom  of  a  once-noted  Puritan. 

"  For  the  stove,"  I  went  on  soliloquizing,  "  the 
stove  is  an  invention  the  mother  of  which  —  not  a 
doubt  of  it  —  was  necessity.  Nor  is  your  furnace 
any  other  contrivance  than  a  poor  imitation  of 
that  great  subterranean  fire  we  do  not  much  like  to 
think  of.  And,  finally,  to  live  by  hickory  through 
this  Northern  winter,  would  realize,  at  least,  as  great 
an  impossibility  as  a  small  forest  brought  to  Dunsi- 
nane.  My  dear,  'tis  better  we  set  off  toward  the 
sun." 

"  By  the  next  train  ?  "  was  her  soft,  consenting 
reply. 


8  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

"  By  the  doves,  rather,  at  once.  Cupid,  put  in 
the  doves !  " 

"  And,  boy,"  said  I — seeing  that  everything  had 
been  nicely  packed  in,  and  we  two  happy  mortals 
were  "  all  aboard  " — "  boy,  swing  your  torch  !  " 

Had  the  doves  been  horses,  how  their  hoofs 
would  have  resounded  as  they  went  down  the  frozen, 
icy  road  !  Every  hair  in  my  head,  and  buffalo,  bris 
tled  with  electricity.  Every  point  of  everything  that 
had  a  point  was  converted,  for  the  time  being,  into  a 
small  lightning  rod.  Crack  went  the  whip  ;  and,  in 
deed,  everything  cracked.  The  ice  cracked,  till  it 
groaned ;  the  snow,  till  it  crackled.  The  white  hills 
looked  as  though  they  could  be  broken  into  pieces 
as  easily  as  pipetails.  All  nature  snapped,  and  was 
almost  snappish  —  ourselves  excepted,  because  we 
were  going  toward  the  sun,  you  see.  Old  Boreas, 
too,  I  will  take  out  of  that  category,  who  was,  in 
deed,  in  his  element,  and  rode  gayly  on  the  ends  of 
the  horsetails — that  is  to  say,  on  the  wings  of  the 
doves.  Young  Jack  Frost,  also,  seated  only  too 
firmly  astride  my  mustache,  with  arms  akimbo,  was 
as  merry  as  ever  was  Puck,  or  Santa  Claus.  It  was, 
truly,  the  very  morning  of  all  the  winter  when  the 
polar  bear — if  he  ever  did  such  a  thing — would  be 
sure  to  put  his  paws  in  his  mouth,  to  keep  them  from 
freezing.  And  if  Samson,  I  could  but  say  to  my 


THE  START.  9 

wife,  had  only  selected  this  day  for  setting  firebrands 
to  the  tails  of  the  foxes,  it  would  have  been,  indeed, 
a  comfort  to  them,  and  just  the  thing  they  wanted. 

We  reached  New  York,  at  last,  in  safety — thanks 
to  the  prairie  buffalo  for  the  use  of  his  skin.  But 
during  the  last  half  hour  of  the  drive,  I  remember 
trying  to  say,  in  a  hoarse  whisper,  to  my  companion  : 

"  My  dear,  I  am  the  happiest  man  this  side 
heaven ;  only,  if  you  have  any  intention,  during  the 
coverture,  to  box  my  ears  for  me,  I  wish  you  would 
do  it  now.  The  tingling  might  not  be  so  bad  as  the 
frost-bite." 

The  reply  was  a  smile  from  out  the  furs,  as  radi 
ant  and  as  soft  as  the  aurora  which  flashes  athwart 
the  gloom  of  night  within  the  circle  of  the  pole. 
And,  ere  it  had  entirely  faded,  we  descended  at  the 

House. 

1* 


CHAP  TEE    II. 

Washington. 

A  RRIVED  at  Washington,  the  Mecca  of  our 
-LJL.  politicians,  their  wives,  and  daughters,  I  was 
glad  to  find  a  half-new  hotel ;  though  not  surprised  to 
observe  that  its  timbers  shook  a  little  under  my  feet, 
as  I  ascended  to  the  story  next  to  heaven.  Crowds 
of  fine  ladies  and  gentlemen  were  encountered  on 
the  stairway,  together  with  a  fellow  having  a  bag 
and  long  rope  in  his  hand,  apparently  going  up  to 
hang  and  bag  somebody. 

The  stairway  of  the  hotel — if  I  may  stop  on  it 
long  enough  to  add  one  observation  more — was,  as  I 
afterward  remarked,  rather  a  favorite  place  with  the 
young  ladies  from  certain  sections  of  the  country, 
for  receiving  the  attentions  of  their  admirers  ;  proba 
bly  on  account  of  its  being  a  little  less  exposed  to 
the  glare  of  the  gaslights  than  were  the  parlors. 
At  any  rate,  I  noticed  a  young  belle  from  Kentucky, 


WASHINGTON.  H 

and  one  that  rang  as  loud  as  any  other  in  the  house, 
receiving  the  homage  of  an  M.  C.,  while  sitting,  her 
self,  in  all  her  graces  and  paraphernalia,  on  the  steps. 

The  new  chambers  had  a  neat  look  ;  yet  no  ward 
robe  or  closet  was  anywhere  visible,  nor  even  so 
much  as  a  peg  to  hang  a  hat  on.  There  was  a  mar 
ble  wash  basin ;  but  the  water  was  of  the  color  of 
snuff.  Silver-plated  bell  knobs  there  were,  though 
nobody  came  at  the  ringing.  Hot  water  seemed  to 
be  an  impossibility ;  and,  indeed,  it  was  self-evident 
that  I  was  here  to  be  monarch  of  all  I  surveyed,  and 
of  nothing  more.  However,  if  one  attain  to  gentil 
ity  in  Washington,  he  ought  to  be  willing  to  dis 
pense  with  a  little  comfort. 

After  a  hasty  survey  of  the  premises,  and  a  no 
less  hasty  toilet — for  it  was  late  in  the  evening — I 
descended  to  the  supper  room,  where  I  found  a  large 
company  of  well-dressed  gentlemen  and  ladies,  but  a 
set  of  waiters  looking,  at  the  end  of  their  day's 
work,  not  much  cleaner  than  their  table  covers.  One 
of  them,  after  some  little  delay,  was  engaged  to 
bring  me  stewed  oysters.  He  brought  me  two  table- 
spoonfuls.  I  called  twice  for  the  salt,  and  as  many 
times  for  the  pepper ;  though  the  salt,  when  I  got  it, 
had  begun  to  lose  its  savor,  and  the  pepper  had  been 
made  from  buckwheat  hulls.  And  no  sooner  was 
any  dish  or  castor  placed  before  me,  than  it  was  ab- 


12  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

stracted  by  some  prowling,  pilfering  waiter.  While 
I  was  turning  my  head,  it  was  gone.  However,  in 
justice  to  the  menials,  I  hasten  to  add,  that  the  next 
day,  after  having  received  their  fees,  they  were  very 
attentive  ;  so  much  so  that,  at  breakfast,  one  of  them 
politely  asked  if  he  should  open  my  boiled  egg  for 
me.  Had  I  given  him  another  dollar,  he  would  have 
offered,  no  doubt,  to  feed  me  with  a  spoon. 

The  greater  part  of  the  guests  appeared  to  be 
worthy,  respectable  people,  who  had  come  up  from 
the  provincial  towns  where  they  had  been  living  in 
quiet  all  their  days,  and  were  now  committing,  in  a 
visit  to  the  capital,  their  first  great  indiscretion. 
Where  I  starved,  they  supped  well ;  and  altogether 
better  than  they  "  hopped "  afterward.  For,  while 
some  of  the  waltzing  was  good  enough,  I  could  but 
observe  that  only  a  few  of  the  ladies  knew  how  to 
Avalk,  and  fewer  of  the  gentlemen  how  to  stand  still. 
It  was  as  if  a  person  should  undertake  to  read  be 
fore  having  learned  his  letters. 

Soon  satisfied  with  both  seeing  and  hearing,  I 
retired  from  the  scene  to  enjoy  a  good  night's  rest ; 
but,  at  the  end  of  a  couple  of  hours  or  more,  I  was 
waked  by  a  blundering  porter,  wrho,  when  asked 
what  he  wanted,  replied  : 

"  Are  you  going  by  the  early  train,  sir  ?  " 

"  No,  you  scoundrel !  " 


WASHINGTON.  13 

"  All  right,  sir,"  continued  the  fellow,  in  a  tone 
of  voice  equally  complacent  and  unfeeling. 

"  All  wrong  !  "  I  muttered  to  myself,  as,  turning 
on  my  side,  I  endeavored  to  go  to  sleep  again. 

The  next  morning,  I  observed  that  the  unsocial 
French  custom  of  helping  out  the  breakfast  with 
newspapers  instead  of  chitchat,  had  become  fully 
established  here.  The  members  of  Congress  were 
intently  reading  the  reports  of  their  speeches ;  the 
ladies  were  looking  through  the  penny  papers  to  see 
what  the  letter  writers  said  of  the  belles  of  Wash 
ington  ;  while  opposite  me  sat  a  couple  of  newly 
wedded  lovers  solacing  themselves  each  with  a  copy 
of  the  "New  York  Herald.  But  there  were  some  ex 
ceptions  to  the  prevailing  silence,  not  to  say  morose- 
ness,  of  the  company  at  table  ;  and  one  of  the  pretti 
est  young  ladies  in  the  house  talked  loud  enough  to 
disturb  all  readers  not  gifted  with  considerable  pow 
ers  of  abstraction.  This  high-toned  style  of  conver 
sation  is,  indeed,  common  enough  in  mixed  company, 
the  habit  being  unconsciously  formed  by  many  even 
of  our  handsomest  and  most  agreeable  ladies,  in  con 
sequence,  it  may  be,  of  their  being  obliged  every 
night  to  elevate  their  voices  high  enough  to  be  heard 
in  crowded  balls  and  parties.  Surrounded  by  a  circle 
of  admirers  two  or  three  deep,  the  young  miss  gives 
tongue  with  all  her  might,  in  order  that  she  may  be 


14  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

heard  by  the  entire  crowd  ;  and  if  she  be  overheard, 
also,  by  some  of  her  rivals,  so  much  the  better.  The 
noise  is  supposed  to  give  her  consequence.  Indeed, 
the  merit  of  a  low  voice  in  woman  would  seem  to  be 
in  danger  of  being  lost  sight  of  in  a  society  where, 
the  more  beautiful  the  belle,  the  louder  her  scream. 
At  this  rate,  our  young  ladies  will  soon  have  to  go  to 
parties  with  small  speaking-trumpets  in  their  pockets. 
At  dinner,  it  was  itself  an  entertainment  to  see 
in  what  fashion  some  of  our  Congressmen,  the  great 
politicans,  and  stump  orators  of  the  country,  dine. 
The  first  thing  done  by  a  certain  class  of  the  men 
sent  up  to  Washington  to  represent  their  constitu 
ents,  and  do  as  they  would  do  themselves,  is,  after 
takiilg  seats  at  table,  to  thrust  their  hands  into  the 
adjacent  dishes  of  nuts,  and  lay  down  a  handful  of 
them  by  the  side  of  their  plates.  In  altogether  a 
greater  hurry  to  get  at  the  end  of  the  dinner  than 
they  usually  are  to  arrive  at  that  of  their  speeches, 
these  lawmakers  skip  either  soup  or  fish,  or  both, 
and  plunge  at  once  into  the  madias  res,  the  thick  of 
the  eating.  Even  there,  however,  they  make  short 
work  of  it.  Before  a  quiet  man  has  tasted  his  soup, 
and  gradually  worked  his  way  through  a  small  plate 
of  fish,  these  energetic  feeders  are  calling  loudly  for 
almonds  and  raisins.  But  the  dessert  once  reached, 
all  their  hurry  seemed  to  be  over.  They  ate  pie  and 


WASHINGTON.  15 

pecan  nuts  by  the  half  hour,  and  so  leisurely,  that 
one  who  had  gone  deliberately  through  all  the 
courses,  came  out  neck  and  neck  with  them  at  the 
coffee.  Yet  were  they  not  quite  satisfied  ;  but  many 
of  the  ladies  left  the  table  with  either  an  apple  or  an 
orange  in  hand,  while  some  of  the  gentlemen's  pock 
ets  were  half  filled  with  various  gimcracks.  These 
sweets  taken  from  the  table  are  generally  supposed 
to  go  to  the  small  children,  the  babes  in  the  nursery. 
They  must  fare  well — the  little  fellows  !  And,  in 
deed,  I  remember  once  hearing  of  a  lady  who  said 
she  always  stopped  at  a  certain  hotel  in  New  York, 
because  there  were  so  many  nice  things  on  the  table 
for  the  dessert,  that  she  was  able  to  send  home  every 
week  such  a  love  of  a  package  to  the  children. 

On  the  whole,  the  crowd  of  guests  appeared  to 
be  well  entertained ;  and  evidently  thought  it  a  fine 
tiling  to  visit  Washington  at  the  height  of  the  sea 
son,  and  be  lodged  in  this  great  caravansary.  To  be 
sure,  a  person  of  quiet  habits  might  be  tempted  to 
say  that  the  hotel  seemed  to  him  to  be  full  of  boots, 
and  gentlemen  in  them,  who  appeared  to  estimate  the 
degree  of  their  personal  consideration  by  that  of  the 
noise  made  by  their  heels.  But  by  far  the  greater 
number  of  persons  were  evidently  living  on  the  ex 
citement  of  being  in  a  crowd,  and  found  the  confu 
sion  and  hurly-burly  as  entertaining  as  it  is  at  the 


16  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

menagerie  when  the  lion  roars,  the  donkey  brays,  the 
horse  laughs,  the  elephant  sneezes,  and  the  monkey 
hangs  by  the  tail,  all  at  the  same  time.  What  mat 
ters  it  if  they  have  a  room  at  the  top  of  the  house, 
containing  one  window  and  a  cracked  looking-glass, 
a  table  on  three  legs,  and  a  rocking  chair  tied  up 
with  red  tape  and  twine  ends — what  of  it,  so  long  as 
they  sit  down  to  dinner  every  day  in  company  with 
a  thousand  guests,  all  Congressmen,  and  Congress 
men's  wives  and  daughters ;  and  if,  after  dinner, 
they  all  promenade  together  and  jostle  each  other  in 
two  small  parlors,  and  a  hall  fifteen  feet  by  forty  ? 
Some  few  of  the  visitors,  however,  moved  about  the 
house  with  the  look  of  persons  who  had  seen  too 
much  of  a  good  thing,  and  who  would  be  happier 
than  ever  in  their  lives  before,  when  once  more  re 
turned  to  the  quiet  of  their  comfortable  though 
unpretending  homes. 

Whoever  goes  to  Washington  without  seeing  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  runs  the  risk  of  being 
thought  next  to  nobody.  Accordingly,  the  White 
House  being  thrown  open  for  the  reception  of  visit 
ors  the  day  after  my  arrival,  I  did  not  fail  to  make 
my  appearance  there.  It  was  a  beautiful  April  morn 
ing  dropped  down  into  the  early  part  of  February, 
as  I  strolled  through  the  grounds,  and  up  the  steps 
of  the  far-famed  Presidential  mansion ;  being  in  a 


WASHINGTON.  17 

mood  to  be  pleased  with  everything,  and  especially 
with  the  great  father  of  the  universal  Yankee  na 
tion. 

But  what  is  this  I  see  before  me  at  the  thresh 
old  ?  Is  it  a  spittoon  ?  By  my  troth,  an  enormous 
one !  A  perfect  monster  in  capacity,  suggestive  of 
quids  of  the  very  largest  size,  and  a  great  many  of 
them.  A  gentle  hint,  this,  no  doubt,  to  the  stranger 
just  arrived  from  Texas,  or  the  Upper  Mississippi, 
that  he  will  please  unpack  his  cheek  before  coming 
into  the  presence  of  democratic  Majesty. 

But  here  are  more  spittoons  in  the  anteroom !  It 
would  seem,  then,  that  it  is  not  expected  that  the 
American  people,  on  coming  to  pay  their  respects  to 
their  chief  upper  servant,  should  for  a  moment  relin 
quish  their  right  to  chew  tobacco  whenever  and 
wherever  it  may  please  them ;  and  they  are  accord 
ingly  provided  with  conveniences  for  expectoration 
within  five-and-forty  feet  of  the  foot  of  the  throne. 
This  is  as  it  should  be — and  strongly  democratic.  If 
there  be  anything  wrong  about  it,  it  is,  perhaps,  that 
there  are  not  vessels  of  this  kind  enough  to  supply 
the  demand  for  them ;  and  I  would  most  respect 
fully  suggest  that  the  principal  avenue  to  the  White 
House  should  be  lined  with  rows  of  them,  as  the 
approaches  to  European  palaces  are  set  out  with  rare 
plants  and  flowers. 


18  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

I  saw  the  spittoons ;  but,  as  ill  luck  would  have 
it,  not  the  President.  He  sent  word  to  the  sovereign 
people,  and  their  wives,  who  had  called  on  him  that 
morning,  that  he  was  too  busy  to  see  them.  The 
guests,  therefore,  were  obliged  to  entertain  them 
selves  as  best  they  could  with  inspecting  the  Presi 
dential  parlors  and  upholstery.  This  they  did  pretty 
thoroughly.  They  admired  the  ceilings,  the  chan 
deliers,  the  chairs,  the  tables,  the  curtains ;  and  gazed 
at  the  carpets,  as  Moloch  at  the  golden  pavement  of 
heaven.  Some  of  the  ladies  lingered  before  the  mir 
rors,  taking  that  opportunity  to  survey  their  toilettes  • 
some  of  the  gentlemen  eyed  the  mahogany,  and  the 
sideboards  ;  and  one  demagogue  I  observed  inquisi 
tively  looking  up  chimney. 

After  the  survey  of  the  premises,  it  remained 
only  for  the  company  to  look  at  each  other.  This, 
also,  was  done.  Everybody  stared  at  everybody ; 
and,  finally,  all  either  went  home,  or  looked  into  the 
grounds  to  see  the  Presidential  flock  of  fat  turkeys. 
Next  to  the  great  Southern  belle,  a  dashing  young 
widow  in  ermine  and  point  lace,  and  in  possession,  as 
it  was  whispered  about,  of  an  annual  income  of  two 
hundred  bales  of  cotton,  there  was  one  cock  turkey 
which  made  the  handsomest  and  proudest  display  of 
the  morning.  In  fact,  I  was  better  pleased  with  his 
showing  off,  which  was  done  in  the  very  best  style 


WASHINGTON.  19 

of  turkeys,  than  with  the  widow's.  His  strut  was 
regal ;  and  the  way  in  which  he  made  himself  big 
with  feathers,  quite  took  the  hoop  out  of  all  the 
crinolines,  causing  them  to  look  scarcely  bigger  than 
so  many  folded  umbrellas.  Nor  did  I  fail  to  notice 
the  propriety,  since  the  spread  eagle  has  possession 
of  the  national  escutcheon,  of  maintaining  in  the 
grounds  of  the  chief  magistrate  of  the  country  this 
brother  bird,  with  distended  wings  and  tail,  and 
throat  red  with  gobbling. 


CHAPTER   III. 

The    Virginia    Springs. 

AFTER  having  crossed  the  mountains  of  Vir 
ginia  by  rail,  the  old-fashioned  stage  coach 
took  me  up  a  short  distance  from  the  Warm  Springs ; 
and,  a  few  hours  afterward,  a  smart  crack  of  the 
whip  under  the  flank  of  the  off  leader  brought  the 
carriage  handsomely  round  to  the  door  of  the  hotel. 
As  I  alighted,  no  sooner  had  my  feet  touched  the 
ground,  than  I  was  recognized  by  one  of  the  black 
boys,  who  had  waited  on  me,  two  summers  before, 
at  the  White  Sulphur ;  and  was  at  once  claimed  by 
him  as  "  his  gentle' urn."  The  fellow  was,  indeed,  in 
a  perfect  ecstasy  over  the  arrival  of  "  his  gentle'uni 
from  York ; "  while  I,  seeing  no  difference  in  his 
wool  from  that  of  a  dozen  other  negroes  standing  by, 
had  not  the  slightest  recollection  of  ever  having  en 
joyed  the  pleasure  of  his  acquaintance,  and  looked 
upon  him  simply  as  a  darkey  suddenly  gone  mad. 


THE   VIRGINIA   SPRINGS.  21 

"  Bery  glad  to  see  massa  once  more  in  de  moun- 
t'ns,"  said  he,  rubbing  his  hands  briskly,  and  grin 
ning  from  ear  to  ear.  "  Do  massa  no  remember  Cus- 
topol  ob  de  White  Sulphur,  two  summers  gone 
back  ?  " 

I  looked  again,  and  saw  that  it  was,  indeed,  Custy. 
Could  any  other  black  boy  in  Virginia  be  so  black  as 
he  ?  His  nose  was  scarcely  less  flat  than  the  pan 
cakes  he  used  to  bring  me  at  breakfast.  His  mouth 
was  full  half  an  inch  in  advance  of  it,  and  so  large 
that,  when  he  kissed  any  of  the  yellow  girls,  in  going 
through  the  reel,  the  report  was  like  that  of  a  big 
popgun.  His  teeth  were  grinders  all  round ;  and, 
with  his  jawbone,  a  bold  man  could  cut  down  as  large 
a  host  of  enemies  as  he  could  with  that  of  an  ass. 
But  when  it  came  to  comparing  foreheads,  Custy 
was  lacking  there.  In  his  brows  there  was  no  pres 
ence.  The  wool  grew  down  over  them ;  and,  cut 
ever  so  close,  it  would  have  sufficed  to  throw  them 
into  the  shade,  were  they  not  already  blacker  than 
any  shadow.  Custy's  phrenological  developments 
were  to  be  sought  for  elsewhere — even  to  his  heels. 
Moreover,  though  his  shoulders  were  broad,  his  back 
was  hollow,  and  his  waist  a  mere  finger  bowl.  So 
that  when,  on  a  Sunday,  Custy  drew  his  bands  tight, 
and  cocked  his  hat  a  little  on  one  side  of  his  head — 
in  his  bright  yellow  waistcoat,  tall  red  cravat,  and  a 


22  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

gentleman's  cast-off  blue  coat,  set  off  with  brass  but 
tons,  and  cut  with  a  broad  roll  in  the  collar — he  was 
as  jaunty  a  gallant  as  ever  "  picked  "  a  banjo. 

I  went  directly  in  to  breakfast,  being  prepared 
for  it  by  a  drive  outside  the  coach  since  daylight,  and 
told  Custopol  to  bring  along  his  hoecakes. 

"  Nice  ven'son  steak,  massa,"  said  Gusty. 

"  Very  well,"  I  replied ;  "  hoecakes  and  venison 
steak." 

"  Butter  made  in  de  house,  massa  !  " 

"  Exactly — hoecakes,  and  venison  steak,  and  fresh 
butter." 

"  Hot  milk  ?  " 

"No;  give  me  the  cold  cream.  No  such  cream 
as  this  in  York,  Gusty  !  " 

"  Me  believe  dat.  People  must  come  back  to  Old 
Virginny  for  to  see  de  right  yaller  milk." 

"  And  the  yellow  girls,  too,  Gusty  ?  " 

"  He  !  he  !  he !  ha  !  ha !  ha !  "  replied  my  colored 
Adonis,  and  wiped  the  water  out  of  his  mouth  on  the 
edge  of  his  apron. 

But  when  Custopol  laughed,  I  made  it  a  rule  to 
stop  the  conversation.  His  grinning  was  all  very 
fine,  and  brought  out  his  ivory,  and  the  white  of  his 
eyes,  to  admiration ;  but  when  it  came  to  laughing, 
I  was  always  afraid  lest  he  might  so  far  forget  him 
self  as  to  blow  his  steam  whistle,  which  would  cer 
tainly  bring  down  the  whole  house  about  my  ears* 


THE   VIRGINIA   SPRINGS.  23 

Venison  steaks  twice  a  day,  and  my  black  boy 
perpetually  on  the  grin  to  see  me  eat  them !  In 
deed,  he  would  have  been  delighted  to  serve  them 
as  many  times  more ;  while  his  cakes,  morning  and 
evening,  were  as  hot  as  the  hearth  from  which  they 
came.  Bread,  alone,  answers  a  poor  purpose ;  but 
on  corn  cakes,  venison,  and  mountain  air — with  a 
drop  of  the  dew,  now  and  then — a  man,  whose  con 
science  is  easy,  will  as  surely  thrive  as  cows  on  clo 
ver.  From  the  very  first  day  of  this  regimen  his  ribs 
feel  heavier ;  while  on  the  piazza  stand  the  scales,  for 
the  purpose  of  enabling  him  daily  to  note  the  happy 
progress  he  is  making  toward  one  hundred  stone. 
The  thin  dyspeptic,  on  arriving  in  these  mountains, 
no  longer  weighs  his  food,  but  himself;  and,  after 
every  meal,  kicks  the  beam  one  notch  higher.  If, 
then,  at  night,  he  will  also  give  a  boy  a  quarter  to 
"  pick"  the  banjo  under  his  window,  and  sing  "  Going 
over  Jordan,"  and  "  Jim  crack  Corn,"  he  will  end  his 
day  with  perfect  stomachic  satisfaction,  falling  sound 
asleep  in  the  very  act  of  ha-ha-ing,  and  dreaming  of 
nothing  short  of  a  heaven  carved  in  ebony. 

By  the  way,  this  fondness  for  being  weighed  is 
universal  at  these  Springs ;  at  each  one  of  which  there 
is  a  pair  of  balances  standing  not  far  from  the  front 
door  of  the  hotel,  and  offering  their  convenience  to 
the  guests.  Accordingly,  every  man  and  woman 


24  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

wishes  to  know  how  many  pounds  he,  or  she,  has 
gained  in  the  last  twenty-four  hours.  Nine  persons 
out  of  ten,  here,  can  tell  you  their  exact  weight. 
Especially  is  it  pleasing  to  see  the  eagerness  of  young 
mothers  to  know  how  fast  their  babies  are  growing  ; 
but  I  scarcely  ever  saw  one  who  was  strictly  impar 
tial  at  the  trial.  They  were  always  disposed  to  give 
the  little  fellow  credit  for  a  half  pound,  or  so,  more 
than  he  was  entitled  to ;  would  daily  crowd  up  the 
beam ;  and  sometimes  make  such  announcements 
that,  let  the  baby  be  ever  so  fat,  one  could  not  re 
frain  from  believing  he  had,  besides,  a  brick  in  his 
cap.  Some  infants,  on  the  other  hand,  would  make 
no  impression  whatever  upon  the  scales,  and  would 
have  to  be  taken  out  until  they  were  a  week  older ; 
or,  at  least,  had  eaten  their  dinner.  One  thin,  ner 
vous  gentleman,  also,  with  a  touch  of  the  dyspepsia, 
could  not  be  induced  by  any  amount  of  persuasion 
to  get  into  the  scales,  being  apparently  afraid  to 
know  how  light  he  was.  Ladies  of  a  certain  age, 
too,  were  rather  shy  of  them.  Once  I  saw  a  matron 
turned  of  forty,  who,  in  a  heedless  moment,  had  ven 
tured  to  take  her  seat  under  the  beam,  jump  out  of 
it,  on  the  announcement  of  the  number  one  hundred 
and  ninety-nine,  as  if  she  had  been  shot.  But  some 
old  gents,  on  the  other  hand,  who  used  to  sit  about 
in  easy,  wide-bottomed  chairs,  were  evidently  well 


THE   VIRGINIA   SPRINGS.  25 

pleased  at  showing  off  the  effect  of  their  threescore 
years  of  good  living — generally  taking  the  opportu 
nity  of  giving  the  name  of  the  county  in  which  they 
had  been  "  raised,"  and  mentioning  the  weight  of 
their  fathers  before  them. 

Still — to  return  to  my  muttons — it  must  be  con 
fessed  that,  since  the  arrival  of  the  French  cook  in 
these  hills,  there  is  a  notable  falling  off  in  the  pleas 
ures  of  the  table.  Sambo  was  a  better  spit-turner. 
An  outcast  from  the  Palais  Royal,  where  he  served 
dinners  at  two  francs  per  head,  the  artiste,  who 
arrives  in  the  central  regions  of  Virginia,  brings 
with  him  only  the  knowledge  of  a  few  tricks  for 
cheapening  dishes.  His  grand  invention  is  to  put  all 
meats  into  the  pot.  His  roast  beef  is  first  boiled, 
and  then  toasted.  So  is  his  roast  mutton.  A  thor 
ough-going  socialist  at  heart,  he  has  even  gone  so  far, 
at  some  of  the  Springs,  as  to  boil  all  his  meats  to 
gether  in  one  cauldron ;  thereby  reducing  them  all 
to  an  equality.  The  saddle  of  venison  lies — alas  !  to 
think  of  it — cheek  by  jowl  with  ham,  and  a  side  of 
bacon.  Beef  must  fraternize  with  veal,  and  exchange 
juices  with  it.  Even  the  pig — little  innocent ! — is 
put  into  water,  and  parboiled.  Shade  of  Charles 
Lamb  !  that  he  should  no  more  be  roasted !  But  it 
has  come  to  this  in  the  progress  of  civilization,  and 
the  greedy  water  is  allowed  to  suck  out  half  the 


26  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

juices  which  made  the  Chinaman's  fingers  so  savory, 
when,  by  that  happy  accident,  he  pulled  out  the 
roasted  pig  from  the  burning  house  by  the  tail,  and 
invented  a  dish,  the  memory  of  which,  one  would 
suppose,  the  latest  posterity  would  not  willingly  let 
die. 

I  know  the  merits  of  the  well-educated  professor 
of  the  French  kitchen ;  but  the  vagabond,  who  has 
found  his  way  into  the  valleys  of  the  Blue  Ridge, 
has  nothing  of  the  professor  about  him,  save  his 
paper  cap.  He  is  homesick — regrettant  la  patrie — 
into  the  bargain ;  and,  I  have  not  a  doubt,  qualifies 
his  soups  with  his  tears.  Let  no  man  taste  them. 
Certainly,  he  has  either  forgotten  his  French,  or 
never  knew  it.  The  other  day,  the  landlord,  proud 
of  the  outlandish  look  of  his  list  of  dishes,  and  think 
ing,  perhaps,  to  pay  me  a  compliment,  in  intimating 
that  I  was  acquainted  with  the  French  language,  said 
to  me : 

"  You  can  read  this,  I  suppose,  sir  ?  " 

"  No,"  I  was  obliged  to  reply.  "  Really,  I  am 
unable  to  do  it." 

The  landlord,  having  shown  me  up  to  room  No. 
14,  the  appearance  of  which  was  satisfactory,  said  he 
would  send  a  boy  to  wait  on  me.  It  proved  not  to 
be  Custopol,  but  a  fellow  about  forty-five  years  of 
age,  though  still  a  boy  in  Southern  parlance,  and  des- 


THE   VIRGINIA   SPRINGS.  27 

tined  to  remain  such  to  the  day  of  his  death.  He 
came  with  the  official  brush  in  hand,  and,  bowing, 
asked : 

"  Will  massa  have  his  coat  brushed  ?  " 

"  You  are  to  be  my  boy,  then  ?  "  I  inquired  in  re 
turn. 

"  Yes.     And  will  massa  have  his  coat  brushed  ?  " 

"  What  is  your  name  ?  " 

"  They  call  me  Sully." 

"  Sully  !  "  I  exclaimed,  taken  suddenly  with  a  fit 
of  abstraction  at  hearing  a  name  which  had  not  sa 
luted  my  ears  since  the  days  when,  a  sophomore, 
I  was  drilled  in  history  by  the  college  professor. 
"  Sully !  You  then  were  once  a  prime  minister  of 
state  !  You  were  a  duke  !  You  were  the  favorite 
of  one  of  the  most  heroic,  and  the  most  amiable 
kings  of  modern  times !  You  were  his  ambassador 
at  the  English  court,  in  the  days  of  the  great  Queen 
Bess  !  And,  Sully,  you  rogue,  repeat  to  me  some  of 
the  fine  things  you  whispered  in  the  greedy  ear  of 
Her  Majesty ! " 

The  Sully  before  me,  who  stood  still  in  his  shoes, 
without  moving  a  hair's  breadth,  nor  scarcely  so 
much  as  winking,  opened  his  mouth  for  a  reply ;  but 
all  he  could  repeat  was  the  question  : 

"  Will  massa  have  his  coat  brushed  ?  " 

By  this  time,  of  course,  I  had  become  convinced 


28  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

that  it  was  no  use  trying  to  teach  "  dis  nigger  "  his 
tory,  or  to  persuade  him  that  he  had  ever  been  any 
body  else  than  the  boy  Sully,  who  was  "  raised "  in 
Norfolk,  and  belonged  to  a  citizen  there  who  kept  an 
oyster  shop — 

"  Oh  !  raking  'mongst  the  oyster  bods, 
To  me  it  was  but  play  " — 

and  who,  when  shellfish  were  out  of  season,  hired  out 
his  servant  to.  wait,  and  brush  at  the  Springs. 

After  getting  this  short  narrative — and  it  was 
about  all  that  the  boy  knew  respecting  his  history — it 
remained  only  to  reply  to  his  so-many-times-repeated 
interrogatory : 

"  Yes,  Sully  ;  you  may  brush,  my  coat." 
Sully,  accordingly,  brushed  my  coat — a  task  he 
continued  to  do  daily.  He  brushed  my  shoes,  also, 
and  performed  the  service  of  my  room.  When  he 
had  no  other  work  on  hand,  it  was  his  duty,  and  his 
pleasure,  to  look  after  me.  He  brought  me  a  match 
to  light  my  cigar,  if,  by  chance,  I  wanted  one.  He 
brought  me  my  hat,  my  gloves,  my  stick.  And, 
finally,  he  stood  over  me,  at  table,  with  a  peacock's 
tail  in  his  hand,  to  keep  the  flies  off,  when,  as  brush 
ing  was  his  favorite  summer  vocation,  he  sometimes 
Avith  the  tip  of  his  feathers  also  brushed  my  tea  and 
coffee. 


THE   VIRGINIA   SPRINGS.  29 

As  the  song  has  it : 

"  When  I  was  young,  I  had  to  wait 
On  massa's  table,  hand  de  plate  ; 
I  pass  de  bottle  when  he's  dry, 
And  brush  away  de  blue-tail  fly," 

But  if  Sully  had  few  or  no  materials  for  the 
biographer,  to  the  observer  of  men  and  things  he 
presented  a  person  of  a  size  sufficient  to  awaken 
attention,  and  justify  description.  He  was  construct 
ed  on  the  principle  of  the  curve.  With  nothing 
angular  about  him,  he  was  as  round  as  an  apple,  and 
everywhere  came  full  circle.  He  was,  by  all  odds, 
the  fat  boy  of  the  establishment.  Of  course,  he  had 
no  waist,  and  was  under  the  natural  necessity  of 
wearing  suspenders.  His  skin  was  so  full,  that,  but 
for  the  perspiration  which  dropped  from  every  pore 
the  moment  he  put  himself  in  motion,  it  was  plain 
there  would  be  a  crack  somewhere.  He  must  have 
been  in  the  habit  of  frequently  opening  his  oyster 
and  his  mouth  at  the  same  point  of  time,  otherwise 
nature  could  never  have  attained  to  such  fulness  of 
form,  and  so  universally  brought  all  her  lines  round 
till  they  met.  And  then,  what  was  gained  in  winter 
was  not  lost  in  summer;  because,  he  coining  up  at 
the  commencement  of  the  warm  season  into  the  pure 
air  of  the  mountains,  the  fat  of  the  bivalve,  which 


30  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

had  once  settled  on  his  ribs,  remained  there  the  year 
round. 

Sully  had  not  the  least  particle  of  vanity  in  his 
composition ;  at  least,  in  studying  him  carefully  for 
a  fortnight,  I  could  see  no  sign  of  any.  He,  accord 
ingly,  did  not  imitate  white  folks — was  sui  generis. 
This  utter  lack  of  vanity  showed  itself  not  only  in 
his  manners,  but  also  in  his  dress.  His  clothes  were 
evidently  all  originally  made  to  fit  his  own  person, 
and  were  not  the  thrown-aside  garments  of  a  gentle 
man.  They,  consequently,  were  the  farthest  possible 
removed  from  chic.  There  was  no  dash  in  the  cra 
vat,  no  fashion  in  the  coat,  and  not  so  much  as  a 
bright  red,  or  yellow  thread  in  his  whole  wardrobe. 
All  was  either  plain  white,  or  black.  Or,  at  least,  if 
there  were  any  warmer  tints,  they  were  so  subdued, 
and  ran  so  naturally  into  the  two  cold  colors,  that  the 
prevailing  tone  of  modest  dulness  was  never  marred. 
The  boy's  fancy  seemed  never  to  have  risen  higher 
than  the  simplest  black  and  white  check.  This  he 
always  donned  clean — in  no  sense  could  it  be  said 
that  he  sported  it — on  a  Sunday, 

Sully's  dress  corresponded  with  his  disposition, 
which  was  not  gay.  I  cannot  conceive  of  his  ever 
having  danced  the  "  breakdown."  If  he  had  ever 
attempted  it,  it  must  have  been  when,  on  some  great 
festal  occasion,  he  so  far  departed  from  his  usual 


THE    VIRGINIA   SPRINGS.  31 

sobriety  as  to  take  a  little  whiskey.  Nor  could  he 
touch  the  banjo.  I  don't  believe  he  had  ever  been 
half  a  dozen  times  to  a  colored  ball  since  he  was  a 
small  boy ;  nor,  except  on  rare  occasions,  was  he  ever 
seen  looking  in  at  the  windows  of  the  saloon  in  the 
hotel  upon  waltz,  or  cotillon.  If  he  could  only  go 
to  bed  early,  he  wanted  no  other  amusement,  unless, 
indeed,  it  were  to  get  up  late.  He,  however,  could 
doze  tolerably  well,  even  on  his  feet,  and  engaged  in 
his  ordinary  avocations. 

I  never  saw  Sully  make  a  gesture  but  once,  and 
then  it  was  entirely  in  keeping.  It  was  not  a  pointed 
gesture.  He  did  not  lay  his  thumb  against  the  end 
of  his  nose,  with  little  finger  projecting,  nor,  with 
extended  index,  count  off  his  arguments  on  his  digits. 
Much  less  was  there  any  violence  indicated  in  the 
motion ;  no  doubling  of  the  fist ;  no  beating  the 
breast ;  no  rapping  of  the  knuckles  on  a  table.  But 
Sully  deliberately  raised  his  hand,  and  deliberately 
brought  it  down  again,  in  both  instances  describing  a 
semicircle.  The  movement  was  as  round  as  himself. 

And  the  occasion  on  which  Sully  made  this  ges 
ture  was,  when  I  asked  him  a  question  respecting  his 
wife. 

"  Sully,"  I  inquired  one  day,  "  are  you  a  married 
boy?" 

"  Yes,  massa  ;  'tis  now  gone  two  years." 


32  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE   TROPICS. 

"  Picked  out  a  young  girl  for  your  wife,  Sully  ?  " 

"  No  ;  I  took  an  old  gal — a  free  woman — born  de 
same  year  dat  was  me." 

"  And  how  do  you  like  it — the  married  life  ?  " 

"  Right  well." 

"But  suppose  you,  and  your  wife  should  dis 
agree  ?  " 

"  Massa,"  said  Sully — and  it  was  then  he  made 
his  gesture — "  wre  should  quit !  " 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Five    Unprotected   L  a  dies. 

FIVE  ladies,  unattended  by  a  gentleman,  arrived 
at  the  Sweet  Springs,  in  the  same  coach  as  my 
self.  They  were  apparently  all  of  the  same  age,  and 
looked  enough  alike  to  be  sisters.  Two  of  them, 
certainly,  had  formerly  accepted  of  husbands  ;  the 
others,  probably,  not.  Yet,  being  helpmates  one  of 
the  other,  they  got  on  safely,  and  everywhere  had 
their  own  way,  spite  of  men,  and  fate.  Their  very 
number  gave  them  force,  and  great  advantages  over 
a  single  unprotected  female. 

On  the  road,  they  were,  indeed,  not  a  little  'anx 
ious  about  their  baggage,  fearing  lest  it  might  be 
cut  off  from  the  coach  by  robbers,  while  the  driver 
was  thinking  of  something  else  ;  and  whenever  we 
stopped,  one  of  them,  at  least,  generally  managed  to 
get  out,  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  that  their  trunks 
rode  comfortably.  All  their  bandboxes  were  on  the 
top  of  the  coach,  excepting  one  of  considerable  size 
2* 


34  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

containing  caps,  and  another  smaller  one  filled  with 
homoeopathic  medicines,  both  of  which  were  carefully 
carried  in  their  laps.  Whenever,  therefore,  the  road 
was  a  little  rough — and  it  was  by  no  means  always 
smooth — one  eye  was  kept  out  of  the  window  to  see 
if,  by  chance,  some  of  the  boxes  might  not  be  tossed 
over  the  railing.  The  ladies,  themselves,  stood  the 
jolting  pretty  well,  their  thoughts  being  mostly  fixed 
on  their  valuables  outside  ;  and,  indeed,  the  chief 
pleasure  experienced  on  their  travels  seemed  to  be 
the  satisfaction  it  gave  them,  at  every  stopping  place, 
to  learn  from  personal  observation,  confirmed  by  the 
testimony  of  the  driver,  that  all  their  travelling 
effects  were  safe.  That  both  they  themselves,  and 
all  they  had,  should  get  unharmed  to  the  end  of  their 
journey,  was  surely  a  cause  for  the  very  greatest 
satisfaction. 

So  it  turned  out.  They  were  all  delivered  over 
to  the  landlord  of  the  inn  which  had  been  fixed  upon, 
months  before,  as  the  spot  where  they  would  pass  the 
summer,  safe  and  sound,  themselves,  their  trunks, 
and  their  boxes — even  to  their  umbrellas,  parasols, 
and  sticks.  But  I  mistake — they  had  no  sticks. 

Once,  however,  on-  the  journey,  they  had  been 
pretty  badly  frightened.  There  was  then  running  on 
the  road  a  line  of  coaches  in  opposition  to  that  of 
the  mail ;  and,  in  consideration  of  a  very  consider- 


UNPROTECTED  LADIES.  35 

able  abatement  in  the  price  of  passage,  the  ladies  had 
ventured  to  take  seats  in  one  of  the  former.  But  the 
drivers  sharing  the  spirit  of  rivalry  between  the  pro 
prietors,  the  Jehu  of  the  "Lucy  Dashwood" —  in 
which  the  ladies  had  taken  passage — had,  from  the 
start,  made  up  his  mind  that  he  would  take  the  snap 
per  off  the  lash  of  the  "  old  line "  driver,  before 
reaching  the  end  of  his  journey.  Accordingly,  he 
managed  to  keep  close  behind  his  rival  until  they 
came  to  a  place  where  there  was  room  enough  for  a 
race.  The  main  road  itself,  just  there,  was  narrow, 
and  had  some  sharp  turns  in  it,  so  that  quick  driving 
over  it  required  pretty  steady  rein,  and  horses  well 
in  hand.  But  along  its  side  ran  a  creek,  the  bed  of 
which  also  furnished  a  track  to  a  driver  who,  at  the 
same  time,  was  not  a  bad  pilot.  Therefore,  on  reach 
ing  this  place,  the  hindmost  whip  determined  that  he 
would  either  tip  over,  or  get  the  lead.  Seeing  that 
his  opponent  kept  to  the  road  which  was  dry,  he 
boldly  dashed  into  the  wet  one. 

"  Good  gracious  ! "  exclaimed  the  ladies,  all  at 
once ;  and,  but  for  being  held  fast,  one  or  more  of 
them  would  certainly  have  jumped  out  into  the 
creek.  Meanwhile,  splash  down  through  the  torrent 
went  coach  and  horses,  making  the  water  fly  in  at  the 
windows  as  if  it  had  been  a  violent  rain  storm.  The 
ladies  dropped  both  cap  box  and  medicine  chest,  in 


36  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

order  to  clasp  their  hands  in  consternation.  But 
before  they  had  time  to  wring  them,  the  horses,  with 
the  lash  around  the  ears  of  the  leaders,  sprang  out 
of  the  creek  at  a  bound.  The  small  boulders  in  the 
road  where  it  left  the  water  leaped  out  of  it  as  if 
they  had  been  frogs  ;  the  good,  stout  vehicle  shook 
in  every  timber,  but  came  out  unbroken  ;  the  harness 
held  fast,  and  the  horses,  gaining  once  more  the 
smooth  terra  firma,  rattled  down  the  hill,  with  tails 
in  the  wTind,  and  their  dull  rivals  far  behind. 

Immediately  on  being  set  down  at  the  inn,  the 
five  ladies  took  possession  of  the  landlord,  and  car 
ried  him  off  with  them,  to  look  at  his  rooms  ;  and, 
according  to  the  account  of  the  matter  afterward 
given  to  me,  he  did  not  get  out  of  their  hands  with 
out  some  rather  hard  usage.  They  did  not  like  his 
accommodations.  The  rooms  first  offered  them  they 
scarcely  deigned  to  look  at ;  but,  after  going  over 
the  whole  house,  and  holding  a  consultation  upon 
every  vacant  chamber  in  it,  they  finally  came  back  to 
those  they  had  so  disdainfully  refused  at  first,  but 
which,  by  that  time,  had  been  taken  by  another 
party.  So  they  Avere  obliged  to  go  over  the  whole 
ground  a  second  time.  One  of  the  sisters  wanted  to 
have  a  bed  which  no  man  had  ever  slept  in !  An 
other  insisted  on  being  settled  in  the  new  part  of  the 
building,  lest  there  should  be  animalcule  in  the  walls 


UNPROTECTED  LADIES.  37 

of  the  old.  In  all  the  rooms  they  pulled  up  the  bed 
clothes,  and  peered  anxiously,  but  knowingly,  into 
the  holes  in  the  four  posts.  They  demanded  a  rock 
ing  chair,  with  a  cushion  to  it,  in  each  one  of  their 
chambers.  And,  finally,  one  thing  was  absolutely 
indispensable — the  curtains  at  the  windows  were  an 
insufficient  protection ;  they  must  be  reenforced  by 
shutters,  made  by  the  carpenter. 

"  But,  ladies,"  replied  the  good-natured  landlord, 
"  there  is  not  a  carpenter  to  be  had  in  the  mountains. 
If  you  think  the  curtains  insufficient,  you  must  pin  up 
something." 

"  Indeed,  we  have  nothing  to  pin  up  ! "  rejoined 
they  all.  Finally,  however,  seeing  there  was  no  rem 
edy,  this  suggestion  met  with  their  approbation ; 
and,  either  with  or  without  what  they  wanted,  or 
thought  they  wanted,  the  five  ladies  were,  at  last,  all 
settled  in  their  chambers. 

But  it  was  not  more  than  ten  minutes  after  they 
had  taken  possession  of  their  apartments  before  one 
of  the  ladies  rang  the  landlord  up  again.  Her  chim 
ney  smoked. 

"  That  can't  be,  madam,"  said  the  host,  "  for 
there  is  no  fire  in  it." 

"  So  much  the  worse,  if  it  smokes  when  there  is 
no  fire !  "What,  then,  will  it  do,  when,  on  a  rainy 
day,  there  are  a  couple  of  backlogs  on,  and  I  sit 
down  to  warm  my  feet  by  the  fire  ?  " 


38  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

"  But,  madam,  I  don't  perceive  that  it  does 
smoke." 

"  I  do.  I.  smell  it.  And  when  there  are  fires 
built  all  about  the  house,  I  am  sure  that  this  chimney 
will  smoke  violently.  There  are  now  several  gentle 
men  with  their  cigars  on  the  piazza,  and  their  smoke 
comes  down  through  this  fireplace.  I  smell  it." 

The  landlord  was  a  man  of  too  much  experience 
to  argue  long  against  the  testimony  of  one  of  the 
seven  senses  —  particularly  in  the  case  of  a  lady 
arrived  at  such  years  of  discretion.  He  therefore 
quietly  gave  up  his  argument ;  the  lady  her  chamber ; 
and  so  the  peace  between  them  was  not  broken. 

Only  one  thing  remained  to  give  them  any  uneasi 
ness — and  that  was  their  travelling  bag.  For,  on  the 
journey,  some  inconsiderate  person  had  remarked 
that  he  believed  one  of  the  outside  passengers  was 
just  recovering  from  an  attack  of  the  small  pox, 
caught  at  Staunton,  where  there  had  recently  been 
several  cases  of  it. 

"  Oh,  our  travelling  bag ! "  exclaimed  she  who 
seemed  to  be  rather  the  bellwether  of  the  party. 
"  The  man  has  been  sitting  on  our  travelling  bag  !  " 

He  had,  in  fact,  been  sitting,  at  one  time,  with 
his  back  against  the  unlucky  piece  of  baggage  ;  and 
it  very  naturally  followed  that  he  had  given  it  the 
small  pox. 


UNPROTECTED  LADIES.  39 

What  was  to  be  done  ?  The  bag  contained  a 
part  of  their  several  wardrobes  which  could  no  more 
be  dispensed  with  than  shutters  to  the  windows. 
What  in  the  world  was  to  be  done  ? 

"  Have  you  ever  been  vaccinated  ?  "  first  asked 
each  of  the  other. 

"  Yes,  I  have  been  vaccinated,"  was  the  reply  ah1 
round. 

"  Have  you  been  revaccinated  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  have  been  revaccinated." 

"  Then  let  me  see  the  scar."  ' 

The  scars  were,  some  of  them,  hard  to  find ;  but, 
when  found,  were  all  pronounced  satisfactory.  And 
after  much  debating  of  the  point,  it  was  finally  de 
cided  that,  if  the  bag  should  be  well  smoked,  and 
then  its  contents  washed,  a  globule  from  phial  marked 
44  being  put  in  the  tub,  they  would  run  very  little, 
if  any,  risk  of  taking  the  contagion. 

It  is  more  than  probable  that  they  escaped  this 
peril  also  ;  for  there  was  some  reason  for  believing 
that  the  traveller  who  made  the  remark  about  the 
outside  passenger  having  this  disease,  was  an  evil- 
disposed  person  who  could  not.  resist  the  malicious 
pleasure  of  quizzing  these  respectable,  but  unpro 
tected  ladies.  If  so,  he  deserved  the  severest  con 
demnation,  and  will  no  doubt  find  his  reward  re 
served  for  him  in  the  future. 


40  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

At  the  close  of  the  bathing  season,  on  returning 
to  the  inn  at  the  "  Sweet,"  I  inquired  of  the  major- 
domo  if  any  of  the  "  five  ladies  "  had  had  the  small 
pox  before  leaving,  and  was  glad  to  learn  that,  up  to 
that  time,  the  disease  had  not  made  its  appearance 
among  them.  They  had  passed  the  summer,  on 
the  whole,  to  their  satisfaction,  though,  on  being 
weighed  the  morning  of  their  departure,  it  was 
found  that,  after  all  their  endeavors  to  the  contrary, 
they  had  not  gained  a  single  pound.  But  if  they 
had  not  gained,  so  had  they  not  lost  anything.  And 
their  dresses  would  not  need  altering. 

O 

A  good  many  suggestions,  the  manager  informed 
me,  he  had  received  from  them,  in  the  course  of  the 
summer,  as  to  how  the  accommodations  of  his  house 
might  be  improved  against  another  season.  They 
had,  indeed,  planned  an  entirely  new  cast  of  the 
whole  establishment,  ad'ding  an  additional  wing  to 
the  house,  removing  the  stables,  changing  the  fences, 
turning  the  current  of  the  creek,  and  doing  a  good 
deal  of  painting  and  whitewashing,  both  indoors 
and  out.  They  had,  also,  closely  calculated,  with 
slate  and  pencil,  the  value  of  the  property — houses, 
lands,  baths,  and  live  stock — besides  making  an  esti 
mate  of  the  gross  and  net  receipts  of  the  establish 
ment  ;  and,  by  their  own  showing,  had  run  the  pro- 


UNPROTECTED  LADIES.  41 

prietor  in  debt  for  betterments  to  full  three  times  the 
value  of  his  estate. 

To  all  these  suggested  improvements,  therefore, 
the  innkeeper  had  gravely  shaken  his  head ;  and,  in 
winding  up  his  story,  he  further  intimated  to  me 
that,  in  his  opinion,  persons,  whose  wants  at  a  hotel 
were  the  most  numerous  and  unreasonable,  did  not 
always  live  any  better  at  home  than  those  who  were 
more  easily  pleased,  and  took  things  as  they  came. 

"  However,"  added  he,  "  they  were  very  worthy 
ladies ;  and,  no  doubt,  had  been  accustomed  to  have 
their  own  way  at  home — everything  pat — and  just 
so.  But  our  servants  could  not  get  along  with  them 
at  all.  Poor  Polly's  head  —  she's  the  maid  —  was 
turned  before  they  had  been  in  the  house  a  week ; 
and  Sam,  the  small  boy  who  waited  on  them  at  table, 
was  fairly  brought  down,  the  day  before  their  de 
parture,  with  what  is  called  here  the  'break-bone 
fever.'  " 


CHAPTER    V. 

The    Warm    Springs. 

THE  view  from  the  top  of  the  Warm  Springs 
mountain  is  said  to  be  the  most  beautiful  of 
any  in  this  part  of  the  Alleghanies.  Although,  in 
either  boldness  of  outline  or  grace  of  detail,  it  can 
not  by  any  means  be  compared  with  the  famous 
scenes  of  the  Alps  or  the  Pyrenees,  still  it  will  well 
repay  the  trouble  of  the  ascent.  You  climb  to  a 
rocky  crag,  whence  there  is  a  panoramic  view  of 
summits  and  intervening  vales,  far  and  wide,  until 
the  distant  horizon  is  lost  in  mists,  or  ranges  so  re 
mote  as  scarcely  to  be  distinguished  from  the  clouds. 
The  shadows  of  passing  masses  of  vapor  lie  about  in 
black  spots  upon  the  green  foliage  of  the  forests, 
which  cover  both  mountains  and  valleys.  For  every 
where  here  is  this  green  veil  drawn  over  the  face 
of  nature.  Only  the  narrow  streams,  meandering 
through  the  vales,  send  up  a  silver  gleam ;  or,  here 


THE   WARM  SPRINGS.  43 

and  there,  a  cultivated  hillside  is  yellow  with  grain ; 
or  the  limestone  road  glistens,  as,  like  a  scaly  mon 
ster,  it  winds  its  coils  around  the  breasts  of  the 
mountains ;  or,  far  below,  a  whitewashed  cottage, 
with  its  curl  of  blue  smoke,  lends  its  brilliant  con 
trast  to  gardens  and  meadows.  And  yet,  at  second 
look,  you  observe  that,  while  the  nearer  summits  are 
overspread  with  the  numerous  variations  of  green, 
from  the  white  birch's  delicate  tints  to  those  of  the 
sombre  cedar,  there  are  on  the  remoter  ranges  such 
great  numbers  of  the  yellow  pine,  stripped  of  its 
foliage  by  the  preceding  winter's  fires,  and  showing 
only  its  bark,  that  a  purple  hue  prevails  in  many 
localities,  almost  deep  enough  to  remind  one  of  the 
heathery  hills  of  Scotland. 

Passing  from  the  general  view  to  the  examination 
of  details,  you  see  below  you,  on  the  western  side, 
the  valley  of  the  Warm  Springs.  It  is  as  lovely  as  a 
vale  in  Yallambrosa — long,  and  moderately  narrow, 
with  several  gaps  in  the  mountains  on  either  side, 
and  through  one  of  them  passes  out  toward  the  west 
the  small  stream  which  flows  down  from  near  the 
head  of  the  valley.  By  its  side  iruns  a  carriage  road, 
along  which  are  scattered  a  few  habitations  ;  the  lit 
tle  cluster  of  buildings  at  the  bath  being  the  princi 
pal  ones.  The  meadows  are  not  so  low  but  that  you 
can  watch  the  mowers  as  they  swing  the  scythe,  or 


44  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS 

the  haymakers  piling  up  the  thick  stacks  ;  and  so  far 
are  the  undulations  of  sound  conveyed  through  the 
clear,  elastic  air,  that  you  distinctly  hear  the  sheep- 
bell  tinkling  from  neighboring  summits,  the  lowing 
of  cattle  on  the  cultivated  hillsides,  and  even  the 
shrill  call  and  answer  of  quail  whistling  to  each  other 
from  still  lower  grain  fields. 

The  mountain  situated  opposite  you,  and  on  the 
other  side  of  the  valley,  has  its  sides  very  evenly 
ribbed,  or  furrowed,  the  upper  half  being  thickly 
wooded,  and  the  lower  under  tillage.  Its  ridge  is  a 
gracefully  undulating  line ;  and  so  sharp  is  it  that 
the  topmost  trees  have  the  appearance  of  being  set 
upon  it  as  a  fringe.  When  in  the  afternoon  the  sun 
has  somewhat  declined  from  the  zenith,  only  the 
treetops  between  the  furrows  on  the  declivities  are 
directly  illumined  by  its  rays,  while  those  in  the  fur 
rows  themselves  are  dark  with  shade.  The  tall 
woods,  also,  that  skirt  the  cultivated  half  of  the 
mountain  side,  cast  long  shadows  upon  the  green  of 
the  pastures  and  the  yellow  of  the  grain  fields ; 
while  single  elms  and  chestnuts,  here  and  there,  pro 
ject  their  profiles  far  down  into  the  still  sun-lit  val 
ley.  To  this  unequal  distribution  of  light  and  shade 
the  landscape  owes  its  most  pleasing  effects. 

Indeed,  it  is  the  charm  of  this  scenery,  that  it  is 
never  seen  twice  the  same.  With  every  change  of 


THE  WARM  SPRINGS.  45 

light  and  shade,  in  different  positions  of  the  sun, 
from  various  points  of  observation,  in  different  states 
of  the  atmosphere,  the  aspects  of  this  mountainous 
and  wooded  nature  vary  perpetually.  The  beholder 
is  constantly  discovering  some  new  features  in  the 
landscape,  graces  before  overlooked,  a  more  true  and 
significant  expression.  The  mountains  are  a  very 
Proteus — a  chameleon,  rather — and  their  tints  change 
while  one  is  looking  at  them.  For  now  the  distances 
are  a  deep  blue,  and  now  they  are  purple.  The  sun 
lights  up,  at  one  moment,  the  round-topped  hills  cov 
ered  with  flowering  chestnuts ;  at  another,  the  rays 
being  withdrawn,  the  hollows  of  the  valleys  are  dark 
as  evening.  Large  white  clouds  gradually  form 
above  the  higher  summits,  and,  one  by  one,  float  off 
into  midheaven.  The  mists  rise,  and  again  are  dissi 
pated.  At  high  noon,  there  is  not  a  shadow  among 
the  whole  multitude  of  mountains ;  while,  at  early 
morn  and  evening,  every  peak,  and  crag,  and  rock, 
and  lone-standing  tree  has  its  reflected  image,  and 
the  forms  of  the  landscape  are  multiplied  twofold. 
This  hour,  the  vapors,  driven  by  the  winds,  are 
chasing  each  other,  like  wandering  spirits,  athwart 
the  sky  and  over  the  mountain  tops  ;  the  rain  clouds 
gathering,  dash  against  the  summits,  and  break  over 
the  valleys  ;  the  thunder  rattles  from  one  end  of  the 
heavens  to  the  other,  shivering,  with  its  holts,  the 


46  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

monarchs  of  the  forest,  and  illumining  with  frequent 
flashes  the  untimely  obscurity.  The  next,  the  winds 
are  hushed ;  the  sun  bursts  brightly  out  of  the 
clouds,  which  roll  away  to  the  eastward ;  the  bow 
of  promise,  spanning  the  heavens,  binds  together  the 
distant  mountain  tops ;  the  wet  foliage  of  the  trees 
glistens  in  the  sunlight ;  and,  at  evening,  the  last 
rays  of  declining  day  spread  the  hue  of  roses  over 
the  round  clouds  which,  here  and  there,  elevate  their 
gorgeous  heads  above  the  horizon.  Then,  in  their 
turn,  the  gorgeous  clouds  losing  the  tints  too  fair  to 
last,  the  stars  light  up  their  fires  on  the  highest 
peaks;  the  valleys  are  peacefully  folded  in  the  man 
tle  of  evening  ;  and  the  grim  mountains  sleep. 

There  is  no  luxury  in  water  greater  than  that  of 
the  "Warm  Springs  bath. 

That  one  of  these  fountains  used  for  bathing  is 
protected  by  an  amphitheatre,  having  a  circular  open 
ing  in  the  roof,  for  light  and  ventilation.  You  un 
dress  in  an  anteroom,  and  descend  by  a  flight  of 
steps  into  the  pool,  which  is  some  forty  feet  in  diam 
eter.  The  water,  generally,  is  about  five  feet  deep, 
but  may  be  made  higher,  or  lower,  to  suit  the  stature 
of  the  bather — the  rule  being  that  it  shall  come  up 
to  his  chin.  A  rope  is  stretched  across  the  bath,  and 
upon  that  one  may  hang,  or  lean.  The  temperature 
of  the  water  is  about  ninety-six  degrees  of  Fahren- 


THE   WARM  SPRINGS.  47 

heit  around  the  edge  of  the  pool,  and  ninety-eight  in 
the  centre ;  where,  especially,  it  comes  gushing  up 
with  innumerable  gas  bubbles  from  between  the 
stones  which  cover  the  bottom. 

On  entering,  everybody  feels  perfectly  well-to-do 
in  this  bath — however  he  may  do  in  the  world.  The 
water  readily  fraternizes  with  the  bather's  blood, 
both  being  of  about  the  same  temperature.  One  can 
promenade,  or  swim ;  he  can  loll  on  the  rope,  or  sit 
meditative  on  the  steps.  In  either  of  these  cases,  he 
is  all  under  water,  except  his  head,  and  he  feels  as 
though  he  could  never  willingly  get  out  of  it.  This 
is,  in  quality,  exceedingly  buoyant ;  so  that  the  indi 
vidual,  too  large  to  get  about  in  the  air  Avith  entire 
comfort,  here  feels  not  much  heavier  than  a  feather, 
and  gay  enough  to  dance  hornpipes.  It  is  so  soft 
that  the  roughest  hide  will  seem  smooth,  as  if  anoint 
ed  with  myrrh  and  frankincense.  It  is,  also,  per 
fectly  transparent ;  and  the  light,  streaming  through 
the  circular  opening  in  the  roof,  not  only  fills  a  por 
tion  of  the  pool  with  the  gorgeous  colors  of  the 
prism,  but  also  furnishes  the  stones  lying  at  the  bot 
tom  with  tints,  as  if  they  were  all  precious — rubies, 
pearls,  and  emeralds. 

Steeped  in  this  delightful  element,  the  traveller 
forgets  the  aches  of  the  road ;  the  rheumatic  feels 
the  pains  in  his  bones  assuaged ;  the  cripple  is  con- 


48  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

scious  in  his  chords  that  they  are  relaxing ;  the  ner 
vous  invalid  is  soothed  ;  and  all,  no  longer  oppressed 
by  ills,  whether  of  the  body  or  the  mind,  revel  in  the 
most  delicious  sensations,  or  are  transported  in  day 
dreams  into  far-off,  happy  planets,  where  the  inhabit 
ants  live  in  warm  water. 

But  perhaps  the  greatest  charm  of  the  bath  is  its 
bubbles.  These  come  up,  here  and  there,  as  they 
will ;  sometimes  single,  then  in  pairs,  and  again  in 
clusters — like  the  going  off  of  a  bouquet  of  rockets. 
As  you  stand  up  in  the  water,  those  rising  from  be 
tween  the  stones  directly  beneath  you  attach  them 
selves,  as  if  drawn  by  some  magnetic  influence,  to 
your  legs  ;  and  then  creeping  up  your  body,  produce 
a  species  of  titillation  the  most  exquisite,  surely,  ever 
felt.  They  tickle  you  as  if  it  were  fun  for  them, 
too. 

If  you  give  the  little  things  a  serious  thought, 
you  cannot  persuade  yourself  that  they  are  not  ani 
mated,  happy  existences.  As  they  rise  to  the  sur 
face  over  the  whole  bath,  those  directly  in  the  rays 
of  the  sun  show,  even  on  starting  from  the  bottom, 
the  prismatic  colors,  the  violet  predominating  ;  while 
those  in  the  shade  flash  through  the  water  like  balls 
of  silver.  They  all  come  trembling,  quivering,  dan 
cing  up  to  the  surface.  And  when  they  gain  it,  the 
round  ball  becomes  a  half  sphere,  and  floats  for  an 


THE   WARM  SPRINGS.  49 

instant  on  the  water.  It  is  as  though  the  joyous, 
sparkling  being,  after  its  brief  dance  of  life  from 
bottom  to  top  of  the  water,  were  given  one  instant 
of  more  perfectly  conscious  delight,  ere  bursting  into 
void  and  nought.  For  it  is  only  a  half-dozen  seconds 
that  the  bubble  reposes  on  the  water,  though  some 
are  longer  lived  than  others  ;  and  when  it  breaks,  the 
expansive  force  of  the  rupture  drives  a  tiny  circle 
outward  with  infinite  grace,  but  quickly  to  disappear 
in  the  level  smoothness  of  the  surface ;  or  oftener, 
mingling  with  other  kindred  circles  in  lines  of  intri 
cate  and  confused  harmony. 

But  you  have  time,  first,  to  observe  that  the  bub 
bles  floating  in  the  sunlight  have  in  their  centre  a 
point  of  red  light  flashing  like  Mars  in  the  heavens  ; 
while  those  in  the  shade  are  lit  up  with  the  softer 
ray  of  those  stars  whose  light  is  white.  These  are 
the  souls  of  the  bubbles,  no  doubt,  that  burn  with 
fires  only  less  purely  intellectual  than  those  which 
shine  out  of  the  eyes  of  man,  or  beast. 

Though  creations  of  a  moment's  vain  endurance — 
mere  bubbles  on  the  water — these,  too,  burn  their 
tiny  tapers  in  God's  temple,  as  well  as  do  the  priests 
before  their  altars.  Myriads  upon  myriads  of  them, 
without  ceasing,  here  rise  and  shine,  as  wonderful  in 
formation  as  the  sun  and  moon ;  all  obedient,  in  form 
and  motion,  to  the  great  laws  of  the  universe  ;  each 


50  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

perfect  in  its  kind,  and  without  spot.  And  yet  how 
few  of  the  multitudes  who  lave  their  weary  or  en 
feebled  limbs  in  this  pool  of  healing — alas !  how 
few — ever  care  for  these  poor  bubbles  ! 

The  manners  here  are  those  of  the  South,  and 
decidedly  suited  to  the  summer  watering  place. 
There  is  nothing  townish  about  them.  All  the  men 
and  women  seem  as  much  at  home  as  if  they  had 
been  brought  up  here,  mingling  in  rustic  scenes  with 
natural  grace,  unconstrained,  simple,  and  happy, 
without  too  much  excitement.  If  a  lady  finds  it 
convenient  to  dine  in  a  morning  dress,  she  is  at  lib 
erty  to  do  so.  There  is  no  objection  to  calico  at  a 
picnic.  The  evening's  dance  will,  indeed,  bring  out 
a  few  short  sleeves  and  low  necks,  where  arms  and 
shoulders  are  so  very  pretty ;  but  all  sorts  of  styles 
are  admissible ;  and,  while  the  gardens  are  rifled  of 
roses,  pinks,  and  honeysuckles,  to  twine  in  the  young 
girls'  tresses,  I  scarcely  ever  saw  an  artificial  flower 
in  the  mountains.  Sometimes,  the  first  day  after  her 
arrival,  a  lady  will  come  down  to  dinner  looking  suffi 
ciently  stiff  and  uncomfortable ;  but  the  next,  she 
also  gives  her  stays  a  little  more  string,  leaves  off  the 
heavy  silk,  and  begins  to  learn  some  of  the  artless 
grace  of  nature  in  these  vales. 

At  the  Northern  spas,  most  of  the  ladies  look  as 
though  they  were  not  out  of  town.  Their  style  of 


THE   WARM  SPRINGS.  51 

dress,  not  being  expressly  adapted  to  the  bathing 
place,  like  that  of  English  ladies,  reminds  one  con 
stantly  of  balls  in  the  Fifth  Avenue,  and  of  the 
boxes  of  the  Academy  of  Music.  There  is  as  much 
whalebone  around  the  heart  of  the  belle,  in  a  hop  at 
the  "  Ocean  House,"  or  the  "  United  States,"  as  if 
the  public  room  of  a  summer  tavern  were  an  Al- 
mack's,  or  the  drawing  room  of  Queen  Victoria. 
The  graces  which  attend  her  steps  are  not  rustic, 
surely. 

The  manners  of  our  Southern  friends  have  a  pecu 
liar  adaptation  to  the  spas,  from  the  fact  that  their 
life  at  home  is  mainly  rural.  This  gives  them  an  air 
of  naturalness  at  these  places,  and  enables  them,  also, 
to  pass  their  time  pleasantly,  without  bringing  thither 
the  routine  of  morning  calls  and  card  leaving,  the 
giving  of  balls  and  dinners,  with  formal  invitations, 
and  refreshments  sent  by  express  from  town. 

Has  not,  perhaps,  the  presence  of  the  colored 
race  at  the  Southern  baths  something  to  do  with 
this  air  of  simple,  natural,  hearty  enjoyment  of  the 
country,  which  prevails  there  ?  Sambo  on  his  trav 
els,  in  his  best  doublet  and  hose,  riding  on  the  top  of 
stage  coaches,  smitten  at  every  different  bath  with 
the  face  of  some  new  Phyllis,  and  realizing,  at  last, 
the  fond  burden  of  his  song  of  "  Oh,  carry  me  back 
to  old  Virginny,"  wears  a  face  in  which  the  wrinkles 


52  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

are,  none  of  care,  and  all  of  merriment.  The  car 
bonic  acid  lie  drinks  in  the  mineral  waters  has  upon 
him  the  effect  of  the  exhilarating  gas  ;  while  the 
lively  air  of  the  hills  makes  him  as  cheery  as  though 
he  had  been  drinking  whiskey  toddy.  He  takes  his 
summer  life  easily ;  and,  in  his  simplicity,  enjoys  the 
succession  of  passing  events — though  but  the  arrival 
of  the  stage  coach,  or  the  simple  carrying  a  glass  of 
mint  julep  with  a  straw  in  it  to  his  master — to  such 
a  degree  that  these  Springs,  constantly  giving  back 
the  picture  of  his  grinning  face,  might  better  be 
called  the  Laughing  Waters  than  those  of  the  Upper 
Mississippi. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Irish  immigrant,  who 
mostly  performs  the  service  of  our  Northern  hotels, 
carries  in  his  face  no  sign  of  summer-day  satisfaction 
— much  less,  any  excess  of  radiance  to  reflect  on  so 
ciety.  Patrick  has  no  banjo  ;  and  can  no  more  sing 
a  song  than  a  Jew  by  the  waters  of  Babylon.  The 
donkey  that  stands  at  the  hotel  door  has  much  more 
drollery  in  his  head  than  this  exile  from  beyond  seas, 
who  is  a  mere  scrub,  and  scullion,  not  even  possessed 
of  wit  enough  to  make  a  good  flunky.  His  mulish 
physiognomy  suggests  no  visions  of  rural  enjoyment, 
and  the  life  Arcadian.  On  the  contrary,  the  very 
sight  of  these  coarse-handed  waiters,  and  wenches 
unkempt,  is  enough  to  disenchant  all  the  illusions 


THE  WARM  SPRINGS.  53 

with  which  one  may  have  come  down  into  the  coun 
try  respecting  the  purity  of  life  in  the  midst  of 
nature,  and  the  chances  of  meeting  nymphs  in  the 
woods.  Who,  forsooth,  ever  saw  a  naiad  in  foun 
tains  when  Bridget  was  drinking  at  them  ? 

It  really  does  make  a  difference,  and  that  in  favor 
of  the  Southern  spa,  this  thrumming  of  the  banjo  in 
the  evening  twilight,  together  with  an  occasional 
melody  heard  from  under  the  gum  trees — for  banjos 
are  as  numerous  in  Virginia,  if  not  quite  as  romantic, 
as  guitars  in  Spain.  And  one  "  picked "  under  my 
windows,  on  the  evening  of  the  full  moon  in  the 
month  of  August,  I  remember  with  especial  pleasure. 
No  sooner  had  the  musician — I  think  his  name  was 
Pompey — struck  up  his  tune,  than  all  the  colored 
amateurs  within  hearing  flocked  around.  At  first, 
two  or  three  small  black  boys,  unable  to  restrain 
their  heels,  began  to  shuffle  on  the  pavement  with 
might  and  main.  But  straightway  an  older  negro, 
crying  to  these  small  boys  to  get  out  of  the  way, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  frightening  them  off  the  walk 
by  blowing  a  low  note  from  his  steam  whistle,  took 
up  himself  the  jig.  He  wore  a  slouched  felt  hat, 
turned  up,  however,  both  before  and  behind,  like  the 
ancient  cocked  one,  and  which,  for  band,  was  tied 
around  with  a  long  gray  garter,  that  hung  down  over 
Ins  left  shoulder.  Having  on  a  heavy  pair  of  boots, 


54  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

worn  outside  his  breeches,  he  at  once  made  the  pave 
ment  ring ;  scraping  it  furiously  with  his  soles,  and 
knocking  it  sharply  and  rapidly  with  his  heels.  All 
the  while  the  double  joints  in  his  knees  were  in  full 
play,  as  also  his  shoulders ;  and,  in  fact,  every  bone 
and  muscle  in  his  whole  body.  Now,  his  feet  were 
thrown  nearly  as  high  as  his  head,  and  his  arms  a 
good  deal  higher.  Now,  his  legs  were  extended  like 
a  dancing  girl's ;  and,  again,  the  hinges  in  his  knees 
were  bent  double.  From  time  to  time,  I  could  see 
his  eyes,  when  he  turned  them  upward,  flash  with  the 
excitement  of  the  fling,  though  in  the  dark  ;  his  ivory 
shone  through  his  mouth  like  the  moon  out  of  clouds ; 
the  half-suppressed  cry  of  triumph — a  sort  of  horse 
laugh — would  occasionally  break  from  his  throat ;  and 
when,  at  length,  he  came  to  stamp  out  the  finale  of 
the  "  breakdown,"  the  blowing  of  his  steam  whistle 
might  have  been  heard  at  the  distance  of  half  a  mile. 
A  public  table  is  a  very  good  place  for  showing 
off  the  bringing  up  of  children.  One  small  boy, 
four  or  five  years  of  age,  who  had  a  seat  directly 
opposite  mine,  one  day  gave  me  an  opportunity  of 
making  an  observation  or  two  on  the  effects  of  the 
discipline  of  the  Virginia  nursery.  He  was  a  deter 
mined-looking  little  fellow,  evidently  accustomed  to 
carrying  things  at  home  with  a  high  hand,  and  kick 
ing  all  the  little  negroes  about,  right  and  left. 


THE   WARM  SPRINGS.  55 

He  began  his  dinner  with  a  dish  of  almonds, 
which  happened  to  be  standing  before  him,  and  at 
which  he  made  a  sudden  grab  the  moment  he  was  in 
his  chair.  No  squirrel  ever  put  nuts  into  his  mouth 
faster  than  he  did  for  about  a  couple  of  minutes, 
at  the  end  of  which  time  he  began  filling  his 
pockets. 

At  length,  the  waiter  asked  him  what  he  would 
have  for  dinner. 

"  Give  me  chicken,"  said  he,  sharply. 

The  chicken  was  brought. 

"  Give  me  jelly." 

The  currant  jelly,  also,  was  brought. 

But,  very  soon,  something  going  wrong,  the 
youth  began  to  cry.  His  mother,  however,  appeased 
him;  and,  stopping  his  noise,  he  called  in  a  mild 
tone  of  voice  for  some  milk. 

"  Give  me  milk." 

This  furnished,  he  did  not  withdraw  his  nose 
from  the  cup  until  it  had  touched  the  bottom ;  and 
when  he  did,  there  was  still  a  drop  pendent  at  its 
,tip.  This,  however,  fell  off,  as,  throwing  his  head 
back  against  the  chair,  he  drew  a  loud,  long  breath, 
as  if  his  dinner  were  done,  and  he  himself  com 
pletely  exhausted. 

But  a  few  moments'  rest  revived  him,  when  he 
"  returned  to  his  muttons."  Yet,  nothing  within 


56  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPIC 8. 

sight  suiting  him,  he  sat,  for  the  next  five  minutes, 
grumbling  and  whining,  and  in  a  humor  decidedly 
unfavorable  to  the  digestion  of  his  almonds,  chicken, 
jelly,  and  milk.  But,  at  length,  having  made  him 
self  and  his  parents  sufficiently  uncomfortable,  he 
knew  what  he  wanted,  and  cried  out,  boldly : 

"  Give  me  'lasses  !  " 

"  Molasses,  Sammy  !  "  replied  his  father.  "  You 
don't  want  molasses  at  dinner." 

This  paternal  reproof  brought  the  blood  into  the 
face  of  the  heir,  and,  gathering  up  all  the  strength 
of  his  lungs  for  one  burst  of  wrath,  he  bawled  out, 
high  above  the  clatter  of  knives  and  forks : 

"  'Lasses  !  'lasses  !  corn-dodger,  and  'lasses  !  " 

The  molasses  was  produced — if  for  no  other  pur 
pose,  to  stop  the  young  wretch's  mouth.  But  corn 
dodger  being  a  breakfast  cake,  he  was  cajoled  into 
substituting  a  piece  of  bread  for  it.  This  he  now 
amused  himself  with  working  around  in  the  molasses 
until  the  bread  was  well  soaked  through,  and  more 
or  less  broken  to  pieces.  How  then  to  get  these 
fragments  into  his  mouth,  was  the  next  question. 
A  spoon  did  not  altogether  suit  him  ;  and,  finally, 
in  Avent  the  fingers.  These  carried  him  success 
fully  through  the  job  ;  though,  at  the  end  of  it, 
his  face  was  as  well  smeared,  from  ear  to  ear,  as 
if  he  had  been  sucking  at  the  bunghole  of  the  ori- 


THE   WARM  SPRINGS,  57 

ginal  hogshead.  He  was  now  told  to  wipe  his  face 
on  his  napkin ;  but  I  think  he  did  it  on  the  table 
cloth. 

To  all  appearances,  the  little  gourmand  was  sa 
tiated.  He  leaned  back  in  his  chair,  braced  his  feet 
against  the  table,  and  seemed  as  quiet  as  if  he  had 
been  the  fattest  boy  in  the  State,  instead  of  being, 
as  he  was,  as  lean  as  a  stick. 

But  he  was  not  through  his  dinner  yet.  Giving 
the  rickety  table  a  sudden  push  with  his  feet,  which 
overturned  a  good-sized  dish  of  custards,  he  resumed 
his  upright  position,  and  cried  out : 

"  Beef — give  me  beef!  " 

"  Oh,  sonny  !  "  exclaimed  the  mother,  "  you  have 
eaten  enough." 

"  No,  no,  no  !  "  was  the  indignant  reply.  "  Give 
me  beef!  give  me  beef!  " 

What  was  to  be  done  with  the  little  rascal  ?  He 
kicked,  squirmed,  threw  up  his  napkin,  and  still  cried 
for  beef.  He  w^ould  have  it. 

Well,  the  beef,  too,  was  brought.  But  he 
wouldn't  touch  it — didn't  want  it — and  sat  pouting 
with  one  finger  in  his  mouth.  In  fact,  he  could  eat 
no  more.  But  as  nobody  said  a  word  to  him,  he  was 
the  more  indignant ;  and,  bursting  into  a  rage,  he 
threw  the  plate  containing  the  beef  into  his  father's 
lap,  that  containing  the  remainder  of  the  molasses 
3* 


58  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

into  his  mother's,  and  himself,  at  the  same  time, 
under  the  table. 

"  Caesar,"  called  out  the  father,  "  take  away  this 
blackguard !  " 

And,  before  Sammy  had  time  to  catch  his  breath, 
and  scream  twice,  Caesar  had  him  out  of  the  dining 
hall. 

Little  Sammy  was,  indeed,  an  exceptional  child  ; 
but  I  have  seen  his  yokefellow  in  these  mountains. 
The  one  was  in  the  highest  class  of  society;  the 
other,  in  the  lowest.  One  day,  when  I  was  going  by 
stage  coach  from  the  White  Sulphur  to  the  Sweet 
Springs,  the  driver  took  up  by  the  roadside  a  couple 
of  natives,  having  with  them  a  child  about  four  years 
of  age.  They  were  of  the  most  vulgar  order  of  per 
sons  to  be  met  with  in  this,  or  any  other  of  the 
States ;  foul  in  language,  and  not  clean  in  appear 
ance,  both  half  tipsy,  and  disposed  to  be  loquacious. 
But  without  further  description  of  them,  suffice  it  to 
say  that  the  child  was  a  little  monster,  being  of 
almost  twice  the  size  natural  for  his  years,  and  hav 
ing  the  manners  of  a  boy  approaching  his  teens. 
Already,  he  had  taken  to  the  bottle,  and  sucked  whis 
key  as  another  child  would  pap.  The  little  barbarian 
also  imitated  his  parents  in  another  bad  habit — he 
swore  like  a  pirate.  I  did  not  see  him  chew  tobacco  ; 
but  doubt  not  he  will  smoke  his  "  long  nine  "  before 


THE  WARM  SPRINGS.  59 

lie  is  a  couple  of  years  older.  The  only  way  of 
keeping  him  quiet  was  to  ply  him  with  sugar  candy, 
and  give  him,  now  and  then,  a  taste  of  the  whiskey. 
But  at  last,  being  tired  of  the  motion  of  the  carriage, 
and  out  of  sorts  from  the  regimen  he  had  adopted, 
he  swore,  at  one  of  the  stopping  places,  that  he 
would  go  no  farther. 

"  I  no  go  beyond  dis  place,  nohow,"  said  he  to  his 
parents.  "  See  you  both  d d  fust !  " 

Children,  whether  of  the  rich,  or  the  poor,  are 
not  too  well  brought  up  in  this  country.  In  those 
states  of  Europe  which  have  made  the  greatest  prog 
ress  in  civilization,  especially  in  England,  the  care  of 
children  is  much  more  methodical,  and  painstaking, 
than  in  this  newer  part  of  the  world.  English  chil 
dren  are  provided  with  simpler  food,  suited  to  their 
years,  and  are  not  allowed  to  partake  of  the  stimu 
lating  diet  of  their  elders.  The  bone  and  sinew  of 
the  tall  Scotchman  come  from  the  oat  porridge  he  ate 
when  a  boy.  British  children  are  kept  in  subjection 
to  rules ;  they  are  made  regularly  to  say  their  prayers, 
and  'the  catechism ;  they  are  early  instructed  by 
tutors,  and  governesses  ;  and  afterward,  the  boys  are 
well  whipped  at  Eton.  But  our  "Young  America" 
enjoys  quite  too  much  infantile  independence  ;  is  too 
much  left  to  servants  and  negroes  ;  gets  his  religion 
from  the  Sunday  school — which  is,  I  fear,  a  poor  sub- 


CO  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

stitute  for  parental  supervision  and  the  catechizing 
of  the  parson ;  uses  his  leading  strings  as  a  slow 
match— un  mecJion—io  light  his  cigars  with  ;  makes 
a  byword  of  "  Does  your  mother  know  you're  out  ?  " 
and,  first  thing  you  know,  joins  the  Order  of  the 
"  Know  Nothings,"  for  which,  indeed,  he  has  every 
qualification. 


CHAPTER    VI. 
The    White    Sulphur. 

IN  the  height  of  the  season,  there  are  a  hundred 
arrivals  a  day  at  the  White  Sulphur.  Then, 
when  nobody  can  get  accommodations,  everybody 
will  insist  on  being  there  ;  for,  in  the  month  of  Au 
gust,  the  most  beautiful  ladies  of  Virginia  and  the 
South  hold  their  court  of  love  at  this  fountain ;  and, 
their  fame  going  abroad  through  the  mountains,  the 
guests  of  the  other  Springs  hasten  to  this  centre  of 
attraction.  All  the  generals  and  judges  of 'the 
Southern  country,  too,  then  come  to  drink  at  these 
white  waters.  Nobody  is  of  a  lower  grade  than  a 
colonel ;  and,  to  be  called  esquire,  would  argue  a 
man  of  doubtful  consideration. 

To  the  Northerner,  this  sounds  a  little  singular  ; 
and,  if  he  happens  to  be  a  peaceful  scholar,  for  ex 
ample,  who  has  scarcely  pulled  a  trigger  in  his  life, 


02  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

and   knows  only  so  much  of  arms  as  is  contained 

in  the 

"  Anna  virumque " 

of  the  poet,  it  is  not  without  a  certain  degree  of  sur 
prise,  and  a  keen  sense  of  the  ludicrous,  that  he  hears 
himself  respectfully  dubbed  a  colonel. 

But  not  even  the  being  addressed  by  the  very 
highest  titles,  will,  at  this  part  of  the  season,  save  a 
single  man  the  necessity  of  sleeping — two  in  a  cham 
ber.  There  are  no  adequate  accommodations  for  all 
these  fine  ladies  and  gentlemen.  At  night,  the  floors 
of  drawing  rooms  and  parlors  are  strewn  with  mat 
tresses  ;  and  lucky  is  the  guest  who  can  secure  one. 
Trunks  are  piled  up,  ceiling  high,  in  the  halls  and 
passages  ;  so  that,  excepting  the  fortunate  inmates 
of  the  pretty  private  cottages,  the  thousand  and  one 
visitors  at  the  White  Sulphur  are,  of  all  men,  by  no 
means  the  most  miserable,  but,  probably,  the  most 
uncomfortable.* 

One  August  morning,  as  I  was  standing  in  the 
doorway  of  the  office,  a  well-dressed  gentleman 
drove  up  in  a  buggy,  and,  getting  out,  asked  for  a 
room. 

"  We  cannot  accommodate  you,  sir,"  said  the 
clerk,  looking  at  the  stranger  with  an  air  of  disinter 
ested  unconcern. 

*  A  new  hotel  has  since  been  erected. 


THE  WHITE  SULPHUR.  63 

"  But  you  can  give  me  a  mattress,  or  a  sofa  ?  " 
was  the  confident  rejoinder. 

"  Impossible !  not  one  left ;  and  the  last  three 
chairs  in  the  house  taken  half  an  hour  ago  !  " 

"Boy,"  said  the  rejected,  but  not  disconcerted 
new  comer,  turning  his  quid  from  one  cheek  to  the 
other,  at  the  same  time  that  he  turned  on  his  heel 
toward  a  servant,  "  unstrap  my  trunk." 

"  It  really  is  of  no  use,  sir,"  continued  the  clerk, 
calmly ;  "  we  cannot  accommodate  you." 

"  Carry  my  trunk  under  that  oak  tree,  yonder," 
no  less  quietly  added  the  stranger,  and  still  address 
ing  the  black  boy. 

"  Now,"  said  he,  sitting  down  on  the  trunk, 
Avhich  had  been  deposited  under  the  protection  of 
the  branches,  "  fetch  my  buffalo  robe  ;  and  I'll  be 
d d  if  I  can't  sleep  here  !  " 

This  proof  of  pluck  was  an  indirect  appeal  to  the 
generous  and  hospitable  sentiments  which  no  true 
Virginian  could  withstand.  There  was  a  general 
clapping  of  hands  on  the  utterance  of  this  Diogenic 
resolution  to  take  things  as  they  came,  and  the  luck 
of  the  pot  with  them ;  and  one  of  the  bystanders 
immediately  stepping  forward,  politely  offered  to 
share  his  quarters  with  the  tenant  of  the  buffalo 
robe,  who,  accordingly,  instead  of  living  under  an 
oak,  like  a  Druid,  now  found  himself  the  fortunate 


64  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

possessor  of  an  apartment  in  one  of  the  prettiest  cot 
tages  on  the  grounds. 

In  the  very  height  of  the  season  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  dining  satisfactorily  at  some  of  the  Springs, 
however  well  a  person  may  fare  there  at  all  other 
times.  Then,  you  fee  the  waiters,  and  still  they 
bring  you  nothing.  Poor  fellows,  they  have  nothing 
to  bring  !  for  the  flour  has  given  out ;  the  cows  have 
been  milked  dry ;  the  mutton  has  run  off  into  the 
mountains  ;  and  the  chief  cook  has  gone  distracted  ! 
If  you  can  manage  to  seize  upon  a  bit  of  beef,  and  a 
slice  of  bread,  'tis  your  main  chance,  and  hold  on  to 
it.  Do  not  run  any  risks  in  looking  about  for  vege 
tables,  much  less  for  side  dishes,  or  pepper,  or  salt. 
For,  while  you  are  vainly  endeavoring  to  accomplish 
impossibilities,  some  light-fingered  waiter,  under  pre 
tence  of  changing  your  plate,  will  run  oif  with  your 
only  chance  of  a  dinner. 

The  scene  presents  a  most  ludicrous  struggle  for 
bones,  and  cold  potatoes.  Or,  rather,  it  is  fearful  to 
witness  such  a  desperate  handling  of  the  knife  ;  to 
sec  so  many  faces  red  with  rage  at  getting  nothing  ; 
and  ladies'  cheeks  pale  with  waiting;  and  starving 
gourmands  looking  stupefied  into  the  vacuum  of  the 
platters  before  them  ;  and  disappointed  dyspeptics 
leaving  the  table  with  an  expression  on  their  faces  of 
"  I'll  go  hang  myself."  Add,  besides,  to  what  one 


THE  WHITE  SULPHUR.  65 

sees,  that  which  he  hears — the  maledictions  heaped 
liberally  upon  the  heads  of  cook,  and  provider ;  the 
clatter  of  what  knives  and  forks  succeed  in  getting 
brought  into  action  ;  the  whistling  and  roaring  of 
Sambo,  and  the  rattling  of  his  heels  ;  with,  now  and 
then,  an  awful  crash  of  chinaware,  a  slide  of  plates, 
or  an  avalanche  of  whips  and  custards ;  for,  w^here 
there  are  several  dozens  of  waiters  running  up  and 
down  the  hall,  like  race  horses,  there  must  be  occa 
sional  collisions ;  and  these,  again,  lead  to  fights,  at 
least  once,  or  more,  in  the  season,  when  a  couple  of 
strapping  black  boys  knock  each  other's  noses  flatter, 
and  make  their  mutual  wool  fly.  Truly,  the  French 
man  who  dines  on  the  hair  of  his  mustache,  and  the 
end  of  his  toothpick,  in  front  of  the  Cafe  de  Paris, 
is  a  lucky  fellow,  and  has  something  under  his  jacket, 
compared  with  these  boarders  at  two  dollars  per 
diem. 

But  it  is  still  worse  dining,  when  it  rains.  The 
ancient  roofs  of  some  of  these  halls  and  piazzas  are 
not  made  of  caoutchouc ;  and  you  cannot  then  sit  at 
meat  without  two  black  boys  at  your  back — one  to 
keep  off  the  flies,  and  the  other  to  hold  over  your 
head  an  umbrella.  There  is  a  good  excuse  for  the 
soup  being  thin  on  such  days.  'Tis,  in  fact,  mere 
rain  water,  with,  possibly,  a  fly,  or  two,  in  it. 

All  the  doctors  lay  doAvn  the  rule,  that  the  patient 


66  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS, 

must  drink  mineral  waters  on  an  empty  stomach ; 
and,  by  my  troth,  it  is  easy  following  it,  during  the 
height  of  the  season,  at  some  of  these  Springs.  That 
organ  is  rarely  so  much  occupied  in  its  legitimate 
business  as  to  be  in  an  unlit  state  to  receive  a  glass 
from  the  fountain.  It  is  said  that  Chinamen,  when 
hard  pushed  for  other  articles  of  food,  can  subsist 
tolerably  well  on  water  diet ;  and,  in  spending  the 
month  of  August  here,  one  comes  gradually  to  com 
prehend  how  the  thing  can  be  done. 

"Eat  a  little  milk,  a  little  mush,  or  a  very  thin 
soup,"  said  the  mineral-water  doctor,  at  one  of  the 
Springs,  after  he  had  looked  at  my  tongue,  and  was 
still  gravely  holding  me  by  the  pulse,  "  and  drink  the 
water  ad  libitum" 

"  It  is  well  to  diet  a  little,  while  drinking  the 
spring  water,"  said  the  landlord  to  me,  soon  after 
ward,  in  the  course  of  some  conversation  with  him. 

"  They  both  agree  in  their  views,"  said  I  to  my 
self  ;  "  and  what  is  sworn  to  by  two  disinterested 
witnesses  ought  certainly  to  be  true.  I'll  live  on 
bread  and  milk  for  the  next  fortnight." 

Luckily  for  myself,  I  did  not  die  in  the  attempt — 
though  the  price  of  three  or  four  private  dinners, 
which  afterward  appeared  in  my  bill,  indicated  that 
I  must  have  felt  very  "  far  gone "  when  I  ordered 
them.  Indeed,  such  rules  are  preposterous,  and  can 


THE   WHITE  SULPHUR.  67 

only  be  observed  with,  such  a  long  list  of  exceptions 
as  completely  disproves  them.  If  I  were  a  doctor — 
peace !  ghost  of  Abernethy — I  would  say  to  my 
patient : 

"  Drink  thy  sulphur  water  before  breakfast,  O 
man !  if  thou  wilt ;  but  if  thou  expect  ever  to  derive 
any  benefit  from  it,  have  a  saddle  of  mutton,  or  good 
fat  steaks,  and  sherris-sack,  for  dinner !  " 

Still,  one  likes  to  be  at  the  fashionable  Springs 
when  the  crowd  is  greatest.  At  the  others,  it  is  not 
so.  There,  he  wishes  to  be  well  accommodated — to 
have  a  large,  airy  apartment — to  be  well  served  at 
the  table — and  to  enjoy  his  quiet,  and  the  society  of 
a  small  circle  of  friends ;  but  here,  he  desires  to  be 
in  the  midst  of  the  grand  movement.  The  more 
colonels,  the  better.  The  more  pretty  ladies,  the 
gayer.  He  wants  to  talk  upon  politics  with  all  the 
judges ;  attack  or  defend  Sebastopol  with  all  the 
generals ;  dance  attendance  on  all  the  well-bred 
dames,  and  waltz  with  all  their  daughters.  Half  the 
pleasure  is  in  the  excitement  which  proceeds  from 
the  great  number  of  persons  collected  together.  Let 
the  fashionable  crowd  dwindle  down  to  a  few  dozens, 
and  you  leave  also.  Then  you  can  have  an  entire 
suite  of  rooms,  and  excellent  dinners,  with  a  waiter 
at  each  elbow.  But,  no.  When  you  see  the  trunks 
brought  down,  and  hear  the  farewells  said,  you  are 


68  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

as  homesick  as  anybody,  and  crowd  into  the  ninth 
place  in  the  coach,  rather  than  run  the  risk  of  being 
the  last  man  to  leave  the  mountains.  So  unreason 
able  are  we  all. 

"  Miss,"  said  the  maid  of  the  belle  of  the  White 
Sulphur — it  was  not  her  own,  as  it  happened — "  dey 
say  you  be  de  most  handsome  young  lady  in  de 
Springs !  " 

"Who  says  that,  Molly?"  inquired  the  beauty, 
as  she  stood  surveying  the  slope  of  her  shoulders  in 
the  mirror,  previously  to  their  being  veiled  in  muslin. 

"Dat  say  de  tall  gentle'um  from  de  Kentuck 
State — him  wid  de  black  mustachy." 

"  You're  mistaken,  Molly." 

"  Can't  be,  miss  ;  dat  be  true  as  Baptist  preachm' 
in  de  Caroline.  I  stand  in  de  winder,  and  see  miss 
and  dat  gentle'um  eatin'  chicken  salad  togeder ;  and 
what  de  gentle'um  say,  a'most  make  miss  choke  her 
self—he  !  he !  he !  " 

"  Nonsense  !  And  what,  Molly,  do  you  think  of 
the  thin  gentleman  from  the  North,  with  the  small, 
blue  eyes  ?  " 

"  I  see  him,  tu,  at  de  Spring,  afore  breakfast ; 
and  he  so  stare  at  miss,  over  de  top  of  he's  tumbler, 
and  sigh  so  in  he's  sulph'  water,  dat  I  know'd  de  case 
be  done  gone  wid  him." 

"And  the  short  young  man,  with  reddish  whis 
kers  ?  " 


THE  WHITE  SULPHUR.  69 

"  Oh,  miss !  him's  nice ;  him's  sweet  as  'taters ! 
When  he  make  love,  never  look  back." 

"  Molly,  you  are  very  foolish.  There  is  nobody 
in  love  with  me." 

"  Can't  be  so,  miss  ;  for,  Jim  tell  me,  dat  Tom 
tell  him,  dat  when  miss  tuk  her  steps  in  de  ballroom, 
last  night,  all  de  young  gentle'um — and  some  of  de 
ole  gentle'um,  tu — look  gone  distract',  and  a-sinkin' 
through  de  floor." 

And  well  they  might ;  for  this  young  lady  was  of 
good  height,  symmetrically  formed,  with  small  hands 
and  feet ;  and  while  most  persons  would  say  she  was 
slender,  others,  again,  pronounced  her  plump.  There 
was  the  faintest  possible  blush  of  red  in  her  cheeks, 
and  just  enough  to  relieve  the  exceedingly  delicate, 
yet  rich,  brown  tint,  which  Southern  suns  had  lent  to 
her  complexion.  The  auburn  ringlets  fell  in  graceful 
profusion  till  they  swept  her  shoulders.  Her  large 
hazel  eye  was  as  soft  as  that  of  a  fawn  in  these 
mountains.  In  the  prevailing  expression  of  her  face, 
delicacy  and  sweetness,  intelligence  and  affection, 
were  equally  blended.  Her  manners,  ordinarily,  w^ere 
so  gentle  that  they  might  almost  be  characterized  as 
languid ;  and  yet,  at  times,  there  was  a  degree  of 
vivacity  in  look  and  motion,  a  sprightly  play  of  emo 
tions  about  the  flexible  mouth,  and  even  a  dance,  a 
very  masquerade  and  merry-making  of  wits  and  fan- 


70  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

cies  in  her  eyes,  which  gave  to  her  whole  person  such 
an  airy,  buoyant  expression,  that  the  next  moment 
you  half  expected  to  see  her  soar  upward,  as  easily 
as  a  hawk  to  the  clouds. 

Surely,  the  "  old  families  "  of  Virginia  and  South 
Carolina  are  no  fable.  One  sees  in  their  daughters 
that  high-born  air,  that  easy  grace,  that  feminine 
delicacy,  which  shows  their  blood  is  gentle ;  and, 
like  oft-decanted  wine,  has  been  refined  by  being 
poured  through  the  veins  of  at  least  three  well-born 
generations.  A  native  modesty,  self-possessed,  and 
startled  only  by  the  advances  of  rudeness,  or  indeli 
cacy,  indicates  an  education  obtained  more  in  the 
sweet  privacy  of  a  rural  home,  than  in  the  public 
academies  of  cities — more  in  the  society  of  relatives 
and  familiar  friends,  than  in  the  company  to  be  met 
with  at  fashionable  hotels  and  the  world's  rendez 
vous.  I  have  nowhere  seen  young  ladies  whose  pres 
ence  was  more  hedged  about  with  privacy.  And  yet 
there  is  no  lack  of  natural  freedom  and  the  play  of 
native  instinct  in  their  manners.  The  laugh  is  gay  ; 
the  word  leaps  from  the  heart ;  the  confidence  is 
given  without  a  suspicion  of  the  possibility  of  be 
trayal.  It  is  an  artlessness  guarded  by  no  premedita 
tion.  But  there  is,  at  the  same  time,  a  quick,  nice 
sense  of  maidenly  propriety,  which,  though  never 
intrusive,  still  is  always  putting  a  gentle  restraint 


THE   WHITE  SULPHUR,  71 

upon  the  action  of  the  impulses,  always  keeping  a 
rein,  fine  as  gossamer,  upon  the  swift  running  of  the 
tongue,  and  always  guiding  the  burning  chariot 
wheels  of  nature's  passions  around  all  the  goals  of 
early  life  with  grace,  and  safety. 

The  accomplished  belle  of  the  White  Sulphur 
had,  to  my  eyes,  the  look  of  a  lady  who  was  never 
expecting  admiration  but  had  been  ever  receiving  it. 
From  her  childhood  up,  it  could  not  be  otherwise 
than  that  she  had  been  continually  surrounded  by 
domestic  love  and  chivalrous  courtesy.  This  long- 
continued  reflection  in  her  face,  as  in  the  mirror  of 
the  photographist,  of  the  tenderest  and  noblest  quali 
ties  of  the  heart,  had  finally  left  there  the  likeness  of 
their  own  beautiful  form  and  coloring.  She  was,  her 
self,  the  very  glass  of  love  and  courtesy.  Whatever 
was  gentle  and  amiable  in  her  natural  disposition  had 
been  drawn  out  and  fostered  by  this  atmosphere  of 
affectionate  respect  in  which  she  had  lived — as  the 
rose  unfolds  more  perfectly  its  beauty  in  the  well-tem 
pered  air  of  the  conservatory  than  when  exposed  to 
the  blight  and  the  worm,  the  cold  and  the  winds  of 
the  neglected  garden.  And,  indeed,  as  there  is  no 
grace  which  more  becomes  a  wroman  than  that  ex 
pression  of  face  and  manner  she  derives  from  the 
interchange  of  domestic  affection,  and  from  the 
adoration  of  men  of  honor  and  generous  sentiments ; 


72  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

so  there  is  nothing  which  so  effectually  withers  and 
stains  the  heavenly  bloom  of  beauty  as  daily  contact 
with  only  the  vicious  and  the  vulgar. 

As  for  amusements  here,  do  they  not  consist  in 
drinking  the  waters,  bathing,  and,  three  times  a  day, 
supplying  the  wants  of  nature  by  vigorous  efforts 
with  the  trencher  ?  A  few  persons  bring  their  books 
with  them  as  an  additional  source  of  entertainment ; 
but  most  are  satisfied  with  occasionally  looking 
through  a  newspaper,  a  magazine,  or  some  learned 
treatise  that  may  be  lying  about,  on  the  use  of  min 
eral  waters.  The  gentlemen  sit  half  the  morning 
through  in  easy,  wicker-bottom  chairs,  under  the 
trees,  conversing  on  the  subject  of  politics,  estima 
ting  the  amount  of  the  cotton  and  rice  crops,  smoking 
cigars,  drinking  juleps,  commenting  on  a  passing 
lady,  a  horse,  or  a  stage  coach.  Rarely  does  a  Vir 
ginian  propose  a  walk.  He  prefers  to  sit,  two  hours 
together,  beneath  the  shade.  An  active,  inquisitive 
Yankee  will  go  out,  and  explore  a  mountain,  or  look 
at  a  neighboring  farm,  and,  returning,  find  the  South 
erner  in  the  seat  where  he  left  him.  An  alligator  in 
the  State  from  which  he  comes,  would  not  lie  on  a 
log  longer.  The  Northern-born  man,  rising,  perhaps, 
not  much  later  than  the  sun,  racing  up  hill  and  down 
to  get  what  he  calls  a  little  exercise,  climbing  the 
pathless  mountains  for  views  of  the  scenery,  and 


THE   WHITE  SULPHUR.  73 

scouring  the  valley  without  any  purpose  whatever, 
unless  it  be  the  getting  rid  of  half  a  day  he  knows 
not  what  to  do  with,  is  thought  by  him  of  the  terra 
caliente  a  sort  of  madcap,  flibbertigibbet,  a  personifi 
cation  of  unreason.  The  latter  will  make  as  much 
effort  as  may  be  necessary  to  back  a  horse  ;  if  there 
is  game,  he  will  occasionally  go  out  with  dog  and 
gun  ;  and,  in  a  few  instances,  I  have  seen  him  wet  a 
line  for  trout,  or  it  might  have  been  catfish.  At  ten 
pins,  and  at  billiards,  also,  he  will  play.  But,  on  the 
whole,  it  is  an  axiom  with  him,  that  too  much  exer 
cise,  as  well  as  too  much  learning,  will  make  a  man 
mad.  He,  therefore,  disparages  both. 

For  any  man  living  on  the  sunny  side  of  the 
Union,  to  do  nothing  seems  to  be  no  labor ;  and  he 
kills  his  time,  apparently,  without  the  pains  of  giving 
it  a  thought.  After  a  while,  indeed,  all  the  visitors 
at  these  Springs  learn  more  or  less  of  the  art  of  get 
ting  through  the  summer  day  easily.  One  begins 
with  taking  no  note  of  the  hour  of  the  day,  then  lets 
his  w^atch  run  down,  and  finally  forgets  the  day  of 
the  week,  and  the  month — all  being  alike,  save  Sun 
day.  The  morning  papers  he  has  ordered  from 
town,  come  to  hand  several  days  old,  and  with  such 
irregularity  that,  generally,  the  contradiction  of  the 
news  arrives  before  the  news  itself ;  so  that,  at  last, 

he  comes  to  the  conclusion  that  at  the  end  of  the 
4 


74  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

watering   season  nothing   of  importance   will  have 
happened,  and  he  sets  his  mind  at  rest. 

As  for  the  ladies,  without  knowing  all  the  little 
ways  they  have  of  amusing  themselves,  one  sees  in 
their  sweet  faces  that  they  are  happy.  They  are, 
also,  the  cause  of  by  far  the  greater  part  of  the  hap 
piness  there  is  in  these  watering  places.  If,  by  any 
strange  fatality,  the  air  of  the  Alleghanies  should 
become  fatal  to  ringlets,  and  the  mineral  waters 
wash  the  red  out  of  the  peach  in  the  cheek,  how 
soon  would  all  these  fair  scenes  revert  to  the  original 
savages !  But,  fortunately,  while  woman  lends  a 
portion  of  her  grace  to  the  mountains,  the  grateful 
rocks  repay  the  gift  by  endowing  her  with  powers 
of  enchantment  superior  even  to  those  of  old  con 
ferred  on  the  Medea  of  the  Caucasus.  In  the  eyes 
of  some  man  or  other,  every  lady  here  is  an  enchan 
tress.  Scarcely  was  there  a  young  man  in  the  moun 
tains,  during  the  two  seasons  I  spent  there,  who  did 
not  seem,  at  times,  to  be  under  the  influence  of  illu 
sions,  more  or  less  soft  and  roseate.  Even  my  boy, 
Custopol,  was  obliged  to  confess  to  me,  one  day,  that 
when,  on  the  preceding  Saturday  night,  Mary  Jane 
came  out  in  her  yellow  skirt  and  green  bodice  with 
a  basque  to  it,  a  purple  kerchief  twisted  round  her 
braided  hair,  on  her  feet  red  morocco  slippers,  and 
gold  drops  pendent  from  her  ears  ;  and  when  he  put 


THE   WHITE  SULPHUR.  75 

his  arm  around  her  waist,  and  they  went  down  the 
boards  together,  while  Pompey,  in  the  corner, 
"picked"  his  banjo,  and  all  the  "darkeys"  in  the 
place  stood  up  and  down  the  kitchen  ;  and  when 
Mary  Jane,  turning  softly  up  her  eyes,  let  him  look 
by  the  half  minute  together  into  the  whites  of  them ; 
or,  dancing  round,  poked  her  elbow  in  his  ribs,  and, 
grinning,  pulled  his  whisker — even  Custy  was  obliged 
to  confess  that  he  felt  the  tender  passion. 

The  imagination,  in  fact,  is  as  much  exalted  here 
above  its  ordinary  level,  as  the  mountains  are  higher 
than  tide  water.  Hence,  it  will  happen  that  a  man, 
who,  on  coming  to  these  Springs,  had  no  more 
thought  in  his  head  of  entering  on  the  state  of 
matrimony  than  he  had  of  making  a  fortune,  finds, 
before  he  has  drunk  and  bathed  a  week,  that  he  is  in 
the  most  imminent  danger  of  making  proposals.  Of 
course,  there  is  no  such  thing  ever  dreamed  of  as 
match-making  at  the  White  Sulphur.  For  that  pre 
supposes  coldness  of  blood,  and  a  lively  activity  of 
the  calculating  faculties ;  whereas  life  in  the  moun 
tains  stimulates  only  the  fantastic  fancy,  and  the 
more  romantic  sentiments.  No ;  neither  party  is 
entrapped.  On  the  contrary,  what  in  the  world  is 
more  natural,  when  youth  and  maid  drink  together, 
every  day,  out  of  the  same  Sulphur  Spring,  than  that 
they  should  have  corresponding  sensations  in  the 


76  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

region  of  the  heart  ?  They  both  look  into  the  same 
pool ;  there  cannot  be  two  opinions  between  them 
respecting  the  taste  of  the  water ;  they  make  pre 
cisely  the  same  exclamations  in  their  attempts  at 
swallowing  it ;  they  behold  the  self-same  expression 
of  face  reflected  in  each  other's  eyes  as  they  set 
down  the  cup ;  and  so,  in  a  multitude  of  instances, 
before  the  lovers,  feeling  decidedly  mawkish,  if  not 
desperately  sick  at  heart,  get  back  to  the  hotel,  the 
momentous  question  is  popped,  and  answered. 

Love-making,  therefore,  may  fairly  be  set  clown 
as  one  of  the  amusements  of  the  Virginia  Springs ; 
whether  it  turn  out  to  be  really  diverting  to  the  par 
ties  concerned — cela  depend.  But,  in  any  event, 
there  will  always  be  somebody,  who,  quietly  looking 
on  from  a  distance,  will  extract  more  or  less  enter 
tainment  from  the  general  aspects  of  the  case,  and 
who,  especially  if  it  is  seen  to  go  hard  with  the 
swain,  as  it  often  may,  will  really  enjoy  the  agony, 
as  one  does  a  farce  when  they  play  tragedy  at  Wai- 
lack's. 

Probably  there  is  no  better  place  in  the  States 
for  the  study  of  character  and  manners  than  these 
Springs — and  this,  too,  is  an  amusement.  Sometimes 
half  a  dozen  words  let  fall  in  casual  conversation  will 
throw  as  much  light  on  the  dispositions  of  men,  and 
the  working  of  their  institutions,  as  a  novel  in  two 


THE   WHITE  SULPHUR.  77 

duodecimos,  the  reading  of  which  will  require  half 
a  day. 

"  Jim,"  said  a  gentleman  from  Louisiana,  travel 
ling  by  the  stage  coach  to  the  Bath  Alum,  "  Jim, 
come  inside  here,  and  let  me  have  your  place  up 
there." 

"  Massa,"  replied  the  negro,  almost  as  confidently 
as  if  he  had  been  his  son,  "  dere's  room  enough  here 
for  two." 

"  Jim,"  again  said  the  gentleman,  after  he  had 
taken  his  seat  by  the  side  of  the  black  boy,  on  the 
top  of  the  coach,  "  to-night  you  will  see  Sally ;  for 
we  sljall  meet  Master  William  at  the  Alurn." 

"  I'se  right  glad  of  dat,"  was  the  reply — Sally 
being  the  maid  of  Master  William's  wife,  and  proba 
bly  a  good  friend  of  Jim's. 

"  Jim,"  said  the  master,  once  more,  addressing 
the  boy  after  half  an  hour's  conversation  with  my 
self,  "  did  you  ever  see  mountains  before  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  massa ;  de  river  mountains  on  de 
Mis'sippi." 

"  You  mean  when  you  were  in  Tennessee." 

"  'Xactly— dat  was  in  Ten'see." 

This  same  Jim,  shortly  afterward  turning  round 
toward  another  negro,  like  himself,  about  sixteen 
years  of  age,  and  sitting  on  the  luggage,  said  : 

"  Caesar,  look  at  dat  line  of  mount'ns  yonder  ;  up 


78  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

and  down — jist  as  reg'lar  as  you  could  draw  'em  wid 
a  piece  of  chalk  !  " 

"  Even  the  dusky  soul  of  the  poor  African,  then, 
in  its  better  moods,"  said  I  to  myself,  "  is  capable  of 
being  touched  by  the  grace  of  nature ;  and  feels,  in 
the  presence  of  these  mountain  tops,  its  dull  facul 
ties  aroused  and  strangely  fascinated  by  the  unwrit 
ten  Word  of  God  !  " 

Another  source  of  pleasure  upon  which  none  of 
the  guests  can  refrain  from  relying,  more  or  less,  is 
the  arrival  of  the  stage  coach.  Let  it  happen  how 
ever  often  in  the  day,  it  is  still  an  important  event. 
One  expects  his  friends;  or,  if  not,  somebody -may 
come  he  has  met  before  ;  at  any  rate  he  must  see 
who  is  there. 

Down  gets  the  first  gentleman  from  the  coach. 
He  is  tall,  with  a  large  proportion  of  bone  in  him, 
and  only  a  moderate  supply  of  muscle.  His  rather 
long  brown  hair  is  brushed,  like  a  Methodist  minis 
ter's,  off  his  forehead,  which  is  a  high  one,  but  not 
broad.  The  well-tanned  face  indicates  vigorous 
health,  though  a  little  sulphur  water  will  be  no  dis 
advantage  to  the  owner's  liver.  The  air  of  calm 
self-possession  marks  the  man  accustomed  to  com 
mand  ;  while  the  slow  gait  and  quiet  motions  suggest 
the  habit  of  overseeing  work  instead  of  performing 
it.  The  blue  dress  coat  with  brass  buttons,  which 


THE   WHITE  SULPHUR.  79 

is  neither  old  nor  new,  together  with  light-colored 
pantaloons,  black  satin  vest,  dark  silk  cravat,  and 
broad-brimmed  felt  hat,  belong  evidently  to  a  gentle 
man  somewhat  careless  of  personal  appearance,  but 
of  independent  circumstances ;  in  short,  it  requires 
no  epaulettes  to  convince  you  at  a  glance  that  the 
stranger  is  a  colonel  from  one  of  the  eastern  counties 
of  Virginia. 

When  his  luggage  is  taken  down,  you  will  find 
that  it  consists  of  a  leather  trunk  covered  with  small 
brass  knobs  and  marked  with  the  owner's  name,  in 
full,  together  with  those  of  his  county  and  State  ;  on 
the  top  of  it  is  strapped  a  heavy  overcoat,  while  at 
one  end  dangle  an  extra  pair  of  boots.  The  colonel 
travels  without  a  hatbox ;  but  has,  instead,  a  well- 
worn  pair  of  saddle  bags,  which  are  filled  with  the 
smaller  articles  of  his  wardrobe  and  such  "  traps " 
as  he  may  very  likely  want  on  the  journey. 

On  acquaintance,  he  proves  to  be  a  man  of  good 
plain  sense,  who  belongs  to  what  he  denominates  the 
Jeffersonian  party  in  politics,  tills  the  paternal  acres 
very  much  after  the  fashion  of  his  father  before  him, 
has,  generally,  a  suit  or  two  pending  in  the  courts  of 
law,  but  is  as  goodnatured  as  he  is  highminded,  and 
really  hates  nobody.  Once  introduced,  he  will  ask 
you  to  take  a  julep  with  him. 

The  general  moves  in  more  state ;  he  arrives  in 


80  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

his  own  coach  and  two,  or  even  four — for  this  old- 
fashioned  turnout  has  not  yet  entirely  disappeared  in 
the  progress  of  civilization  and  the  rail.  He  may, 
also,  have  two  or  three  outriders,  in  the  shape  of 
sons,  on  ponies,  and  black  boys  riding  mares.  Sons, 
servants,  mares  and  horses,  they  are  all  of  his  own 
raising;  but  the  carriage,  possibly,  may  have  be 
longed  to  his  father  or  some  of  his  ancestors  ;  for  it 
is  after  the  ancient  English  model,  round  topped, 
heavily  timbered,  and  possessing  the  property,  like 
Homer's  heroes,  of  never  growing  old.  The  trunks 
being  piled  up  behind,  and  to  them  attached  a  water 
pail,  the  footman  is  obliged  to  squeeze  himself  into 
what  of  the  narrow  seat  in  front  is  left  by  the 
driver. 

The  latter  is  an  old  whip,  whatever  his  age  may 
be.  Though  without  gloves,  he  handles  the  ribbons 
Avith  a  careful  precision,  as  if  the  leaders  were  every 
moment  about  to  spring  into  a  run  ;  though  in  shoes, 
his  immense  feet  hold  well  by  the  footboard ;  and  in 
a  mere  jacket,  instead  of  the  official  capes,  he  pro 
duces,  by  means  of  his  spread  elbows,  and  blown-up 
air,  scarcely  less  of  a  sensation  than  the  coachman  of 
my  Lord  Mayor  of  London. 

When  this  whole  affair  sweeps  up  to  the  door  of 
the  hotel,  the  excited  landlord,  especially  if  it  be  a 
four-in-hand,  rings  his  bell  with  a  fury  which  indi- 


THE  WHITE  SULPHUR.  81 

cates  that  something  extraordinary  has  happened ; 
and  the  servants  come  running,  as  if  they  expected 
to  witness  the  arrival  of  a  dozen  stage  coaches  at 
once.  But  'tis  even  more  than  that ;  'tis  a  Virginian 
general,  with  horses  and  mares,  black  boys  and 
maids,  wife  and  children.  The  hair  of  every  waiter 
in  the  house  would  stand  straight  on  end,  but  for  the 
curl  in  it ! 

The  landlord  opens  the  carriage  door  himself,  hat 
in  hand  ;  and  the  general  gets  out.  He  is  a  shorter 
man  than  the  colonel  by  a  half  inch,  or  more.  He 
has  a  broader  and  still  more  open  face,  a  wider  back, 
and  carries  a  respectable  corporation  before  liim. 
His  clothes  are  thin,  the  colors  light,  and  his  face  is 
red  ;  while  down  out  of  his  fob  hangs  a  heavy  gold 
chain,  with  two  ponderous,  ancestral  seals,  and  a  key 
between.  The  general  takes  off  his  white  beaver 
courteously  to  the  colonel,  who  instantly  steps  for 
ward  to  shake  him  by  the  hand. 

While  these  congratulations  are  being  exchanged, 
down  the  carriage  stepj  carefully  comes  Dinah.  She 
is  dressed  mostly  in  white,  and  has  a  cotton  kerchief 
of  this  color,  striped  with  blue,  tied  so  completely 
over  her  hair,  that  only  enough  of  it  remains  in  sight 
to  show  that  it  is  becoming  silvered  o'er  with  the 
pale  cast  of  age ;  while,  over  the  kerchief  and 

directly  on  the  back  of  her  head,  is  set  a  bonnet  of 
4* 


82  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

open  straw  and  muslin,  originally  made  for  the  gen 
eral's  pretty  daughter  when  she  entered  her  teens, 
and  so  small,  withal,  that  it  serves  merely  to  cover 
the  good  dame's  cerebellum. 

The  baby  is  then  handed  out  to  Dinah ;  the  rest 
follow ;  and  when  the  trunks  have  been  taken  down, 
and  the  carriage  pockets  emptied,  Cuffy,  the  coach 
man,  effects  his  exit  with  a  crack  of  the  whip,  such 
as  makes  not  only  his  own  horses,  but  all  those 
within  an  eighth  of  a  mile,  jump  —  each  one  as 
though  it  were  about  his  own  ears  the  lash  was 
playing. 

And  when,  any  time  within  the  next  half  hour, 
the  respectable  Virginia  farmer,  or  esquire,  well- 
to-do  at  home,  rides  up  to  the  hotel  door  on  his 
nag,  a  greatcoat  rolled  up  and  tied,  together  with  an 
umbrella,  behind  the  saddle,  and  a  pair  of  leathern 
bags,  containing  a  scanty  change  of  apparel,  project 
ing  beneath  his  thighs,  the  careless  landlord  scarcely 
deigns  to  touch  the  bell  once.  A  sleepy-looking 
negro  holds  the  new  comer's  bridle  while  he  dis 
mounts  ;  another,  lazily  taking  the  saddle  bags  on  his 
shoulders,  and  the  roll  under  his  arm,  conducts  him 
to  his  chamber ;  and  there  is  no  more  noise  made 
over  the  arrival,  compared  with  the  previous  excite 
ment,  than  might  be  likened  to  the  blowing  of  a  horn 
reversed. 


THE   WHITE  SULPHUR,  83 

For  the  rest,  there  are  a  dozen  or  more  of  these 
Springs.  They  all  lie  in  the  pretty  Alleghanian  val 
leys,  within  an  easy  day's,  or  half  day's  drive  'from 
each  other — the  White  Sulphur  being  in  the  centre. 
The  roads  are  generally  good,  with  enough  which 
are  bad  to  accommodate  those  who  require  a  little 
jolting.  The  stage  coaches  are  well  built ;  the  dri 
vers  are  skilful ;  and  a  dash  on  the  outside  of  the 
carriage  through  these  hills  refreshes  and  invigorates, 
instead  of  fatiguing  the  traveller.  In  fact,  the  now 
almost  obsolete  pleasure  of  journeying  by  wheel  may 
here  be  enjoyed  in  its  perfection,  with  social  chat, 
preceded  by  no  formal  introductions,  with  acquaint 
ances,  and,  perhaps,  friends  made,  whom  it  will 
always  be  a  pleasure  to  remember,  and  with  such 
good,  plain  fare,  at  roadside  inns,  as  the  sharpened 
appetite  will  pronounce  better  than  the  very  chef- 
cTcevres  of  cooks  in  town. 

The  Springs  are  of  all  waters,  having  for  their 
principal  ingredients  sulphur,  alum,  iron,  magnesia, 
or  salt.  They  are  also  tri-colored,  with  deposits, 
white,  red,  and  blue.  Some  are  used  for  drinking, 
and  some  for  bathing.  The  invalid  may  have  his 
choice  ;  and  whatever  his  complaint,  say  the  doctors, 
it  makes  no  difference — he  is  sure  to  be  cured.  The 
cripple  is  set  up  at  the  Hot  Springs,  and  the  malade 
imaginaire  is  made  whole  at  the  Warm.  The  dys- 


84  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

peptic  is  put  on  alum  water,  and  the  South  westerner, 
with  bile  in  his  blood  and  jaundice  in  his  eyes,  is 
ordered  to  drink  of  the  White  Sulphur  or  the  Salt. 
The  Healing  Spring  is  good  for  the  gout;  ladies, 
weary  after  the  winter's  dancing,  are  strengthened 
by  bathing  in  the  two  Sweet  Waters ;  the  Blue  Sul 
phur,  taken  before  eating  venison  steaks,  is  said  to 
be  excellent  against  all  devils  of  the  same  color ;  and 
ever  since  the  publication  of  the  learned  Dr.  Burke's 
book,  it  is  every  man's  own  fault  if  he  don't  know 
that  the  Red  Sulphur  is  a  certain  cure  for  consump 
tion. 

The  summer  climate  of  these  mountains  is  truly 
delightful.  The  boundless  forests  on  their  tops  are, 
indeed,  a  magnet  for  the  clouds ;  so  that  rain  often 
occurs  in  the  day's  chapter  of  accidents.  But  it  is 
merely  a  passing  shower — a  dash  of  big,  fast-falling 
drops — soon  gone  over  the  hills  and  far  away.  The 
water  runs  immediately  oif  the  declivities,  the  drops 
hang  only  a  few  moments  from  leaf  and  flower,  and 
the  brilliant  sun,  dissipating  the  vapors,  dries  the  sur 
face  of  the  ground  and  takes  away  all  dampness. 

It  is  hot  in  the  sunlight ;  but  you  live  perpetually 
embowered  in  shade.  In  that,  the  mercury  daily 
stands  square  against  the  point  of  summer  heat,  or, 
occasionally,  a  little  above  it,  so  that  one  revels  in 
fine  linen ;  and  if  he  makes  any  use  of  the  mint 


THE   WHITE  SULPHUR.  85 

which  grows  invitingly  by  every  pathside,  it  is  more 
as  a  luxury  than  a  necessity.  Sitting  under  the  oaks, 
or  promenading  on  the  piazza,  the  summer  idler  finds 
that  he  can  keep  cool  from  one  end  of  the  dog  days 
to  the  other,  without  so  much  as  touching  a  straw. 
This,  to  some  persons,  may  be  rather  provoking  than 
otherwise.  But  with  such'  pure  air  to  breathe,  fanned 
by  the  softest  breezes,  instead  of  being  whipped  by 
the  winds  of  the  sea-shore  bathing  place,  and  nightly 
refreshed  by  sleep  beneath  a  blanket,  if  you  will,  but 
with  windows  wide  open,  and  disturbed  by  no  worse 
serenading  than  that  of  the  banjo,  a  man  is  suffi 
ciently  happy  without  stimulus,  or  excitements  of 
any  kind.  To  look  out  upon  the  green  pastures  and 
the  luxuriant  woods — to  wind  gently  up  the  hilltops, 
or  stroll  by  the  side  of  brooks — to  watch  the  never- 
ceasing  play  of  light  and  shade  on  the  mountains 
and  in  the  valleys,  and  to  gaze  at  the  fantastic  shapes 
of  the  summer  clouds,  now  drifting  in  fleeces 
through  the  sky,  now  towering  in  gorgeous  peaks 
and  ranges  above  the  horizon,  and,  at  evening,  aglow 
with  all  the  prismatic  flames  which  burst  from  the 
apparent  disruption  of  the  setting  sun — to  do  all  this 
is,  indeed,  to  forget  the  more  highly  scented  cups  of 
civic  dissipation,  as  well  as  the  rile  in  the  mug  of  the 
world's  ordinary  toil,  and  to  live  in  the  midst  of  such 
innocent  delights  as  by  the  poets  are  fabled  to  lie 
around  its  infancy. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

Through  Virginia  and  Carolina. 

ONCE  more  out  of  the  mountains,  I  find  myself 
among  the  plantations  of  Eastern  Virginia. 
It  is  a  district  of  country  where  the  soil  is  often  of  a 
rich  yellow,  or  mulberry  color,  and  brown  donkeys 
are  ploughing  it  early  in  February  ;  where  zigzag 
fences  are  laid  twelve  rails  high,  and  not  a  stake  in 
them ;  where  hay  and  corn  remain  through  the  win 
ter  stacked  in  the  fields  ;  where  the  forests  are  strewn 
with  gigantic  trunks  left  lying  as  they  fell,  and  the 
green  foliage  is  sprinkled  over  with  the  white  of 
large  projecting  branches  which  have  been  splin 
tered,  or  twisted  off  by  storm  and  tempest ;  where 
the  houses  often  look  top-heavy,  and  tumble  down, 
though  supported  by  strong  chimneys  of  brick  or 
stone,  built  on  the  outside  ;  where  the  wagons,  can 
vas-covered,  are  shaped  like  whale  boats,  and  are 
drawn  by  from  four  to  six  mules,  with  Uncle  Tom 


THROUGH   VIRGINIA   AND    CAROLINA.         87 

on  the  back  of  the  nigh  leader ;  where  ladies  travel 
with  guitars,  and  gentlemen  with  saddle  bags,  ne 
groes  in  white  Avoollen  blankets,  and  negresses  in 
pink  ribbons ;  where,  emerging  from  the  pine  woods, 
young  misses  enter  the  train,  robed  in  shawls  bought 
at  Berlin  for  not  less  money  than  would  suffice  to 
purchase  a  small  negro,  and  the  young  gentlemen 
who  accompany  them,  sprawl  over  two  seats  in  every 
variety  of  attitude,  excepting  that  of  the  Apollo 
Belvidere  ;  where  the  traveller  starts  on  his  journey 
by  rail  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  stops  a 
whole  hour  at  seven  for  breakfast ;  where,  driven  to 
the  hotel  in  nothing  less  than  a  'bus  and  four,  he  is 
received  by  a  cloud  of  negroes,  the  chambermaids 
being  superb  in  white  aprons,  and  variegated  tur 
bans,  and  all  anxious  to  do  something  for  "  Missis  ; " 
while  the  boys,  met  at  every  turn,  are  either  in  dan 
ger  of  running  down  "  Massa,"  or  are  sure,  when 
wanted,  to  be  running  away  from  him ;  now  making 
their  obeisance  halfway  down  to  the  floor,  and  the 
next  moment  laughing  behind  his  back  until  mouth 
and  ears  meet ;  most  of  them  oiled  in  the  joints  to 
such  a  degree  as  scarcely  to  be  able  to  stand  up,  and 
the  rest  threatening  to  tumble  down  from  stupidity, 
and  sleepy-headedness. 

I  passed  through  one,  and  but  one  neat  village 
(that  of  A )  on  my  way  from  the  mountains  to 


88  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

Richmond.  The  latter  is  a  thrifty  town,  rather  pic 
turesquely  placed  on  hill  and  river  side  ;  and  is  made 
pleasant  in  winter  by  the  magnolia,  the  arbor  vitae, 
and  various  evergreens.  Here  I  went  to  see  Craw 
ford's  equestrian  statue  of  Washington.  The  figures 
of  Henry  and  Jefferson,  which  stand  on  the  base  of 
the  monument,  are  admirably  done ;  the  former  ex 
hibiting  the  impassioned  orator  in  full  action,  and 
contrasting  pleasantly  with  the  more  quiet,  thought 
ful  attitude  of  the  writer  of  the  Declaration  of  Inde 
pendence.  But  on  seeing  the  figure  of  Washington, 
my  first  impression  was  that  this  modest,  great  man, 
if  he  could  have  been  consulted  about  the  matter, 
would  much  have  preferred,  instead  of  being  ele 
vated  so  high  in  the  air,  to  stand  more  nearly  on  a 
level  with  the  illustrious  patriots  below.  On  behold 
ing  him  at  that  awkward  height,  the  spectator  hardly 
feels  that  he  is  in  the  presence  of  the  father  of  his 
country ;  for  the  expression  of  the  countenance  is 
lost  in  midheaven.  Whoever  approaches  the  monu 
ment  near  enough  to  get  a  good  view  of  the  statues 
at  the  base,  on  looking  up  to  that  above,  sees  little 
else  than  the  under  side  of  the  immense  horse's 
belly.  There  may  be  good  cause,  to  be  sure,  for 
placing  an  equestrian  statue  in  an  elevated  position, 
as  on  the  pediment  of  a  temple,  or  on  a  natural  emi 
nence  ;  but  as  this  monument  stands  on  high  ground, 


THROUGH   VIRGINIA  AND    CAROLINA.        89 

where  it  can  easily  be  seen  at  a  distance,  there  seems 
to  be  no  good  reason  for  erecting  so  lofty  a  pedestal. 

The  Washington  in  the  State  House,  close  at 
hand,  by  Houdon,  interested  me  more,  notwithstand 
ing  its  French  strut,  and  lack  of  idealization.  For, 
with  these  exceptions,  it  is  the  great  man  himself  left 
behind  in  marble,  and  dressed,  and  looking  as  he 
actually  did  when  in  full  life.  Indeed,  the  figure  of 
Washington  is  itself  so  sublime,  that  all  attempts  of 
art  to  sublimate  it  have  hitherto  not  been  successful. 

On  leaving  Richmond,  the  traveller  going  South 
will  do  well  to  save  his  appetite  until  his  arrival  at 
Wilmington,  where  I  can  safely  promise  him,  at  least, 
good  white  Johnny-cake.  Here  it  wras,  on  the  ninth 
of  February,  that  I  tasted  my  first  shad  of  the  sea 
son,  making  no  bones  of  it.  Throughout  the  dinner 
a  black  boy  stood  behind  my  chair,  with  his  hands 
resting  on  the  back  of  it ;  and,  on  receiving  my 
orders,  started  suddenly  to  my  side,  as  if  waked  out 
of  a  reverie.  Then,  shooting  off  headlong  on  my 
errand,  and  headlong  returning,  he  again  relapsed 
into  his  previous  state  of  semi-somnolency,  and  hung 
suspended  from  the  chair-back.  The  hotel  is  not 
exactly  a  fit  subject  for  a  eulogy  ;  still  I  rested  very 
comfortably  in  it  during  a  day  and  a  night. 

Like  so  many  other  Southern  cities,  Wilmington 
is  a  town  built  on  the  sands.  A  seaport,  it  enjoys  a 


90  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

large  and  profitable  trade  in  turpentine,  besides  doing 
a  lively  little  business  in  fine-cut  tobacco,  and  various 
Southern  "  notions."  It  contains  a  few  moderately 
well-looking  houses,  scattered  about  among  a  great 
many  half-painted  and  dilapidated  ones.  I  saw 
scarcely  a  wall  without  a  brick  loose,  or  a  fence 
without  a  board  off,  or  any  work  in  cement  that  had 
not  a  crack  in  it.  The  yards  in  front  of  the  houses, 
however,  were  pleasant  with  evergreens,  and  climb 
ing  plants ;  and  the  coming  spring  had  here  scat 
tered  in  advance  the  first  camellias,  hyacinths,  and 
daffodils. 

The  rail  from  Richmond  to  Charleston  took  me 
through  a  country  exhibiting  fewer  marks  of  civili 
zation  than  I  had  anticipated.  To  the  very  end 
of  the  journey,  my  surprise  was  repeatedly  ex 
cited  at  passing  through  forests  beyond  forests,  in 
terspersed  only  by  more  or  less  extensive  clear 
ings.  Even  in  these,  many  of  the  corn  and  cotton 
fields  were  pretty  well  filled  with  stumps  and  the 
stems  of  broken,  half-decayed  trees,  left  standing  by 
the  axe  and  the  firebrand.  The  two  Carolinas  I 
found  as  rough  as  Ohio  ;  while  Illinois,  with  its  culti 
vated  prairies,  might  almost  pass  for  an  old  country 
in  comparison  with  them.  Nearly  the  whole  stretch 
of  these  Southern  pine  woods  is  as  level,  too,  as  any 
prairie  ;  and  many  districts,  in  consequence  of  recent 


THROUGH   VIRGINIA   AND    CAROLINA.         91 

heavy  rains,  were  little  better  than  a  succession  of 
dismal  swamps.  Even  the  noble  pines  themselves, 
tall,  slender,  and  tapering  as  were  their  stems,  and 
sometimes  beautifully  spreading  their  tops,  like  the 
stone  pines  of  Italy,  yet  being  disfigured  by  the  axe 
for  the  sake  of  their  sap,  which  is 'manufactured  into 
turpentine,  pfesent  such  conspicuous  scars  as  to  make 
the  otherwise  fair  woods  look  ghastly  enough  to  be 
the  haunts  of  ghosts. 

Indeed,  the  poor  whites  who  mostly  inhabit  these 
openings  in  the  forests  are  scarcely  less  haggard  than 
sprites.  They  would  be  equally  pale,  also,  but  that 
they  are  so  yellow.  Theirs  is  the  genuine  fever-and- 
ague  complexion,  more  or  less  modified  in  this  rainy 
season  jby  the  color  of  the  mud  wherein  they  live, 
and  move,  and  have  their  being.  Fortunately,  their 
hovels  are  made  of  logs  instead  of  clay ;  otherwise 
these,  too,  would  gradually  be  dissolved  in  water. 
The  dress  of  these  natives  of  the  woods  was,  cer 
tainly,  when  I  saAV  it,  in  a  great  many  instances  fast 
coming  to  nought.  At  best,  it  was  coarse  and  neg 
lected  ;  while  the  general  aspect  of  life  was  low  and 
almost  brutish. 

At  the  end  of  two  days  of  travelling,  it  was 
truly  a  relief  to  emerge  from  these  pine-grown  re 
gions,  and  see,  on  approaching  the  suburbs  of 
Charleston,  a  greater  variety  of  forest  trees.  The 


92  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

oaks  now  preponderated,  their  boughs  hung  with 
gray  moss  and  their  trunks  often  draped  with  climb 
ing  evergreens.  In  low  places,  the  maples  were 
hanging  out  their  crimson  buds  and  fringes.  At  the 
same  time,  the  sun,  breaking  through  the  heavy 
clouds  which  had  for  several  days  obscured  the  heav 
ens,  poured  a  flood  of  golden  light  over  the  tender 
foliage,  over  the  city,  and  the  bay;  and,  genially 
warming  the  air,  gave  promise  that  I  was  here  to 
meet  the  spring  thus  far  advanced  on  its  way  north 
ward  from  the  equator  and  the  shores  of  the  Ca 
ribbean. 


CHAPTER     VIII. 

Charleston. 

I^IRST  of  all  I  went  to  the  races.  For  I  had 
begun  to  hear  the  February  races  in  Charles 
ton  talked  of  as  far  north  as  Washington,  and  had 
been  told  much  of  the  fine  horses,  much  of  the  beau 
tiful  women,  who,  in  grande  toilette,  grace  these  fes 
tive  occasions.  Unfortunately,  the  twelfth  of  Febru 
ary  brought  with  it  gentle  showers  of  rain ;  but, 
heavy  as  was  the  course,  I  had  rarely  seen  in  the 
States  better  running.  The  horses  wTere  ridden  by 
slips  of  black  boys,  whom,  at  first  sight,  I  thought 
scarcely  equal  to  the  task,  but  who,  in  the  end, 
proved  themselves  to  be  born  Jehus.  Like  the 
steeds,  they  must  have  been  bred  specially  for  the 
race  course.  I  forget,  at  this  moment,  what  the  time 
made  was  ;  but  the  horses  were  so  well  matched  as 
to  come  in  almost  neck  and  neck. 

As  to  the  ladies,  they  were  not  to  be  cheated  out 


94  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

of  their  holiday  by  the  rain.  They  were  there  in 
full  feather ;  in  ermine  and  point  lace ;  in  light  bro 
cades  and  cashmeres  of  India.  They  were  there  in 
the  latest  nouveautes ;  gay  with  flowers  and  grace 
ful  with  fringes,  as  w^ell  as  in  perfect  little  loves  of 
parasols,  and  fans  fluttering  with  coquetry.  One  or 
two  dowagers  sported  their  diamonds  and  jewels 
more  appropriate  for  the  ballroom.  Nearly  all,  as  it 
seemed  to  me,  were  rather  over-dressed  for  the  occa 
sion  ;  though,  as  it  is  the  fashion  of  the  Charles- 
tonians  to  put  on  new  bonnets  for  the  February 
races,  as  the  Philadelphians  do  at  Easter,  perhaps  the 
temptation  to  make  too  much  of  the  toilet  at  this 
time  might  well  be  irresistible.  Still,  bright  colors 
do  not  harmonize  with  dark  skies  ;  the  reason  wrhy 
they  are  always  so  becoming  in  the  tierras  calientes  of 
Spain  and  Italy  being  because  the  air  there  is  full  of 
resplendent  light,  and  so  many  of  nature's  tints  are 
high-toned.  But  at  the  Charleston  race  course,  noth 
ing  was  gorgeous  save  the  silks  and  ribbons  ;  for, 
while  heavens  of  lead  overhung  an  earth  scarcely  yet 
green,  even  the  cheeks  of  the  fair  were  pale,  and 
their  eyes  lacked  the  lustre  of  the  south  of  Europe. 
They  were,  however,  sufficiently  pretty  and  high 
bred. 

The  lords  of  this  part  of  creation,  likewise,  were 
tall  and  fine-looking ;  though  it  struck  me  that  their 


CHARLESTON.  95 

easy  morning  costumes,  if  adapted  to  the  occasion, 
were  not  quite  in  harmony  with  the  elaborate  toilets 
of  the  sex.  Certain  it  is,  that  the  tip-top  beaux  were 
generally  dressed  in  overcoats,  sacks,  raglans,  sticks, 
and  umbrellas.  I  could  but  think,  also,  that  many 
of  them  carried  a  trifle  too  much  weight  in  the 
watch  chain,  and,  in  some  instances,  selected  their 
waistcoats  of  a  crimson  slightly  too  emphatic  for  the 
black  of  their  pantaloons.  But,  on  the  whole,  the 
crowd  of  clubmen  were  well  attired ;  and  I  did  not 
see  among  them  a  single  specimen  of  the  black-satin- 
vest  gentry. 

For  the  rest,  considering  that  ladies  came  to  the 
race  in  full  dress,  I  was  a  little  surprised  at  seeing 
that  the  floor  of  the  saloon  wherein  they  were  assem 
bled  was,  in  places,  wet  with  tobacco  juice,  and 
sprinkled  with  nutshells.  Lads,  whose  bringing  up 
in  the  best  families  of  the  town  should  have  taught 
them  better,  threw  the  shells  on  the  floor  as  uncere 
moniously  as  if  they  had  been  in  a  beer  garden,  or  a 
cockpit.  Even  a  lady  arrayed  in  ermine,  and  deep 
frills  of  Chantilly  lace,  who  was  holding  a  court,  at 
the  moment,  consisting  of  four  gentlemen,  all  in 
waxed  mustaches,  suffered  two  out  of  the  four  to 
stand  in  her  presence  munching  peanuts. 

It  may  be  added,  that,  with  few  exceptions,  the 
elegantly  arrayed  ladies  present  on  this  occasion  to 


96  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

witness  the  running,  and  receive  the  admiration  of 
the  handsome  members  of  the  Jockey  Club,  were 
unmarried ;  and  that  the  presence  of  a  somewhat 
larger  number  of  matrons  would  have  imparted  a 
little  more  dignity  to  the  festivity,  without  detract 
ing  too  much  from  its  grace. 

To  return  to  town.  My  first  impressions  of 
Charleston  were  extremely  agreeable.  It  was  a 
pleasant  thing  to  find  an  American  city  containing 
so  many  memorials  of  the  times  colonial,  and  not 
wearing  the  appearance  of  having  been  all  built  yes 
terday.  The  atmosphere,  charged  with  an  unusual 
dampness  in  consequence  of  the  low  position  of  the 
town  on  coast  and  river  bank,  helps  materially  to 
deepen  the  marks  of  years ;  soon  discoloring  the 
paint  upon  the  houses  and  facilitating  the  progress 
of  the  green  moss,  which  here  is  ever  creeping  over 
the  northern  side  of  roofs  and  walls.  The  whole 
town  looks  picturesquely  dingy,  and  the  greater  num 
ber  of  buildings  have  assumed  something  of  the  ap 
pearance  of  European  antiquity.  The  heavy  brick 
walls  and  the  high  gateways  are  such  as  one  sees 
in  London  or  Paris.  Many  front  doors  and  piazzas 
had  been  wrought  after  the  graceful  models  brought 
from  England  in  the  old  colonial  period.  The  veran 
das,  story  above  story,  and  generally  looking  toward 
the  south,  or  the  sea,  form  another  pleasant  feature 


CHARLESTON.  97 

in  the  prevailing  style  of  building.  JSTor  less  attrac 
tive  are  the  gardens  and  courtyards  invariably  at 
tached  to  the  best  houses,  where,  in  winter,  the 
hedges  are  green  with  pitosporum  and  the  dwarf 
orange ;  and  where  blow  the  first  fragrant  violets 
and  daffodils  of  spring.  Here,  in  February,  I  beheld 
with  delight  the  open  rose,  and  camellias  so  numer 
ous  as  to  redden  the  ground  they  fell  upon  ;  also,  the 
wild  orange  bursting  with  white  buds,  and  the  peach 
tree  in  full  blossom,  as  well  as  the  humble  strawberry 
at  its  foot.  Stopping  at  one  of  these  lofty  gateways, 
and  looking  through  the  quaint,  old-fashioned  gra 
tings,  I  could  not  help  repeating  the  lines  of  Goethe 

"Ein  sanfter  Wind  vom  blaucn  Himmel  went, 
Die  Myrte  still  und  hoch  dor  Lorbcr  steht." 

These  charming  gardens,  in  connection  with  the 
piazzas  resting  on  ornamental  pillars,  make  the  whole 
town  graceful.  One  sits,  in  "the  morning,  in  these 
open  chambers,  inhaling  the  refreshing  air  from  the 
sea,  its  perfume  mingled  with  that  of  the  flowers 
below;  and,  at  midday,  closing  the  Venetian  shut 
ters  to  exclude  the  sun,  he  rests  in  grateful  shade. 
Here,  too,  throughout  the  longer  portion  of  the  year, 
may  be  spread,  at  evening,  the  tea  table ;  while  the 
heavens  still  glow  with  the  purple  and  amber  of  the 


98  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

sunset.  And  here  lingers  the  family  until  the  bells 
from  the  tower  of  St.  Michael's,  sweetly  ringing 
their  silver  chimes  through  the  calm,  starry  air,  an 
nounce,  at  last,  the  hour  of  repose. 

Many  invalids  from  the  North,  delighted  with 
these  Southern  balconies  and  these  melodious  even 
ing  bells,  with  this  soft  air  and  genial  sunshine,  with 
the  lovely  promenade  of  the  ever  grass-green  Bat 
tery,  and  with  the  pleasing  prospect  of  the  bay, 
never  the  same  with  its  coming  and  going  ships,  are 
tempted  to  linger  here  the  winter  through,  nor  go 
farther  southward  in  their  search  for  health  or  pleas 
ure.  But  the  climate  of  Charleston,  if  soft — soft, 
even,  as  that  of  Rome — is  damp,  and  exceedingly 
variable.  The  consumptive  invalid,  therefore,  should 
never  dally  long  with  these  sea  breezes,  nor  stay  to 
pluck  these  flowers.  He  should  proceed  onward  as 
far  as  St.  Augustine,  or  inland  to  the  dry,  sandy  hill 
country. 

In  winter,  many  of  the  wealthy  South  Carolinian 
planters  come  to  Charleston  to  enjoy  the  gay  season 
of  February ;  and  a  few  spend  several  months  here 
for  the  sake  of  the  greater  advantages  in  educating 
their  children.  But  all  come  to  town  with  less  pa 
rade  than  did  the  grand  seigneurs  of  the  generation 
preceding.  For  a  quarter  of  a  century,  the  number 
of  coaches  and  four  has  been  gradually  diminishing. 


CHARLESTON.  99 

Fewer  outriders  herald  the  planter's  advance.  The 
family  carriage  has  grown  a  little  rickety,  and  the 
worse  for  wear ;  though  the  horses  are  still  well 
blooded,  and  Sambo  holds  the  reins  with  cheeks  as 
full,  and  shoulders  as  widely  spreading.  Compara 
tively  few  are  the  masters  who  nowadays  pass 
through  the  country  with  a  retinue  of  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  servants  ;  who,  at  a  wedding,  or  other  festive 
occasion,  open  wide  their  doors  to  all  comers,  enter 
taining  troops  of  friends,  twoscore  and  more,  with 
for  every  one  a  couch,  as  well  as  for  every  one  a 
month's  welcome.  Fiddling,  indeed,  has  not  died 
out ;  and  Pompey  still  draws  his  bow,  and  beats  his 
banjo  with  as  much  ardor  as  in  the  days  of  yore. 
At  the  merry-makings,  there  is  dancing  every  night 
in  the  parlor,  as  well  as  plenty  of  giggling  and  roar 
ing  in  the  kitchen.  Five-and-twenty  varieties  of  corn 
cake  may  be  served  at  breakfast ;  the  pot  of  hominy, 
like  the  widow's  cruse,  is  inexhaustible  ;  the  bacon 
makes  the  table  groan  ;  though  certainly  the  number 
of  pipes  of  wine  annually  laid  down  is  getting  every 
year  less  ;  nor  do  I  believe  there  can  be  many  nabobs 
left,  who,  in  purchasing  their  supplies  in  town  at  the 
beginning  of  the  season,  do  not  fail  to  include  a 
hogshead  of  castor  oil  for  their  little  negroes. 

The  February  balls  in  Charleston  are  scarcely  less 
known  to  fame  than  the  races.     The  most  select  and 


100  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

fashionable  are  those  of  the  Saint  Cecilia,  and  they 
have  been  given  here  from  times  running  back  past 
the  memory  of  all  the  dancers  now  living.  Only  the 
gentry  and  the  more  favored  strangers  are  admitted. 
They  go  at  ten  o'clock,  and  stay  until  three.  The 
attendance,  however,  is  principally  confined  to  the 
younger  portion  of  the  fashionable  community,  who, 
before  setting  off  for  the  dance,  see  the  mammas  and 
papas  comfortably  to  bed.  I  observed  that  even  the 
young  married  ladies  attracted  but  little  attention 
from  the  beaux  ;  and,  in  fact,  I  was  repeatedly  told, 
that  whenever  a  bride  was  led  to  the  altar,  she,  after 
ward,  went  in  society,  as  a  matter  of  course,  to  the 
wall.  Even  the  bride,  who  comes  from  other  parts 
of  the  country  to  find  in  this  hospitable  city  a  home, 
runs  imminent  risk  of  receiving  but  few  marks  of 
courtesy  from  any  gentleman  not  married.  She  may 
be  beautiful,  accomplished,  and  elegantly  dressed ; 
but  the  beaux  will  look  at  her,  if  they  deign  to  look 
at  her  at  all,  with  blank,  mute  admiration.  This,  in 
a  city  so  famed  as  Charleston  is  for  gallantry  of  man 
ners,  struck  me  as  a  little  singular.  I  saw  many  fair 
young  ladies  among  the  dancers,  and  the  prevailing 
style  of  toilet  was  characterized  by  simplicity  as  well 
as  elegance.  Some  waltzing,  also,  I  noticed,  as  grace 
ful  as  that  which  may  be  seen  in  the  countries  where 
the  waltz  is  at  home.  Of  floAvers,  however,  whether 


CHARLESTON.  101 

as  an  ornament  for  the  person,  or  the  apartments, 
there  were  quite  too  few ;  and  it  seemed  as  though 
the  profusion  with  which  nature,  in  the  more  genial 
seasons  of  the  year,  furnishes  these  decorations,  had 
led  to  the  neglect  of  their  cultivation  by  artificial 
means  in  winter. 

From  the  presence  of  two  races,  the  streets  of 
Charleston  have  a  pepper-and-salt  aspect.  The  blacks 
are  almost  as  numerous  as  the  whites,  but  are  gen 
erally  of  smaller  stature.  I  saw  very  few  slaves, 
either  male  or  female,  who  were  of  large  size ;  still 
fewer  "who  were  good-looking.  As  an  exception, 
however,  in  the  matter  of  size,  I  noticed  one  portly 
dame  striding  down  the  street  in  broad-brimmed  hat, 
and  staif,  who  appropriated  to  her  own  use  nearly  the 
whole  of  the  sidewalk,  and  swaggered  with  an  im 
portance  which  plainly  marked  her  as  having  author 
ity  in  the  kitchen  of  one  of  the  proudest  families  of 
Charleston.  On  Sunday,  the  negroes  I  saw  airing 
themselves  on  their  way  to  church  appeared  to  good 
advantage,  being  respectful  in  manners,  and,  for  the 
most  part,  becomingly  plain  in  dress.  The  aged 
dames  were  in  turbans  containing  only  a  few  modest 
stripes,  though  worn  pretty  high.  The  younger 
damsels  showed,  of  course,  more  love  for  dres&ing 
like  white  folks.  One  dainty  miss,  with  large,  liquid 
eyes,  and  the  deep  red  breaking  through  her  colored 


102  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

cheek,  like  the  vermilion  streaming  through  dark 
clouds  that  lie  athwart  the  sunset,  made  herself  gay 
in  a  French  cashmere ;  another  displayed  her  jaunty 
modesty  in  Canton  crape  ;  while  the  principal  colored 
belle  of  the  promenade  held  up  her  rich  black  silk  to 
exhibit  an  elaborately  embroidered  petticoat.  The 
other  sex  were  decently,  clad,  and  scarcely  in  a  single 
instance  that  came  under  my  observation,  grotesquely. 
They  showed,  occasionally,  a  little  red  in  their  cra 
vats — sometimes  a  little  buff.  But  not  even  on  the 
coach  box  did  Pompey  go  much  beyond  a  brass 
buckle  in  his  hat,  and  purple  plush  in  his  waistcoat. 
On  the  whole,  therefore,  the  colored  palmetto  gentry 
seemed  to  me  to  have  learned  demureness  from  their 
betters ;  though  there  was,  perhaps,  as  much  grin 
ning  and  giggling  as  was  decent  on  a  Sunday. 

But  the  next  day  being  a  half  holiday,  in  conse 
quence  of  the  Governor's  review,  I  was  surprised  at 
seeing  crowds  of  nurses  in  bandanna  turbans,  and 
sable  urchins  in  caps  so  gay  as  to  need  nothing  but 
belles  to  set  them  all  ringing.  The  sunny  afternoon 
air  was  quite  filled  with  the  kites  of  these  small  black 
boys.  Their  loud,  tumultuous  laughter  mingled 
pleasantly  with  the  music  of  drum,  and  fife,  and  bag 
pipe  ;  while,  by  nightfall,  the  circles  of  all  eyes  had 
grown  visibly  larger  from  gazing  at  the  plumes  and 
glitter  of  the  militiamen.  With  special  pleasure  I 


CHARLESTON.  103 

remember  the  sight,  on  that  afternoon,  of  a  pair  of 
brats  about  the  size  of  Murillo's  beggar  boys,  and  as 
much  like  them  as  blacks  can  be  like  Spaniards. 
They  occupied  the  same  position,  also,  against  a 
sunny  wall,  and  were  in  the  same  need  of  having 
their  heads  combed ;  the  one  being  happily  intent  on 
smoking  a  broken  clay  pipe,  and  the  other  gazing  at 
vacancy  with  a  degree  of  tranquil  animal  satisfaction 
which  distended  his  half-shining,  half-unwashed  skin 
wellnigh  to  cracking. 

It  was  but  a  sorry  entertainment  to  visit  the  slave 
market ;  yet,  one  fine  morning,  attracted  by  the  auc 
tioneer's  flag,  I  dropped  in.  There  was  but  one 
small  lot  on  the  block,  evidently  a  badly  damaged 
lot  of  merchandise  ;  and  I  did  not  hear  a  single  bid 
for  them.  One  old  woman,  however,  by  trade  a 
cook,  was  put  up  for  sale  separately.  She  was,  at  the 
time,  half  seas  over,  and  might  very  likely  have  been 
thus  exposed  by  her  master  for  the  sake  of  frighten 
ing  her  into  better  behavior.  But,  if  such  had  been 
the  purpose,  the  failure  of  the  experiment  was  com 
plete  ;  for,  when  she  saw  that  not  a  single  bid  was 
made  for  such  a  sinner,  she  exclaimed,  with  a  pro 
digiously  broad  leer  of  satisfaction,  "  Nobody  want 
dis  ole  nigger  ?  Well,  I  goes  back  to  massa." 

For  piety  and  church-going  the  negroes  are  as 
remarkable  as  the  Charlestonians  themselves.  They 


104  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS, 

like  to  sing  psalms  and  to  deliver  to  each  other  the 
solemn  word  of  exhortation.  Their  labor  in  prayer 
resembles  the  wrestling  of  Jacob  with  the  angel ; 
though,  in  this  exercise,  they  sometimes  get  them 
selves  on  the  hip.  Their  masters  and  mistresses, 
however,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  are  in  the  habit  of 
making  the  observation,  that  a  negro's  Sunday  faith 
has  but  a  loose  connection  with  his  week-day  con 
duct.  Moved,  myself,  one  Sunday  evening,  to  sit 
under  colored  preaching,  I  accepted  the  invitation  of 
a  friend  to  visit  one  of  the  conventicles  attended  ex 
clusively  by  negroes.  On  entering  the  large  and 
commodious  building,  we  were  politely  shown  up  the 
broad  aisle  to  a  seat  directly  in  front  of  the  pulpit,  it 
being  the  chief  seat  in  the  synagogue,  and  one  ex 
pressly  reserved  for  white  folks.  Thereupon  the 
wink  was  tipped  to  the  sable  sexton,  who  was  made 
to  understand  that,  inasmuch  as  I  was  a  distin 
guished  gentleman  from  New  York  city,  the  per 
formers  in  Divine  service  would  be  expected  to  do 
their  best.  At  length,  after  a  tolerably  long  pause 
of  preparation,  a  venerable  negro  was  called  up  by 
the  clergyman  to  open  the  service  with  prayer.  This 
he  did  with  not  a  little  solemnity,  not  forgetting,  at 
the  close  of  the  exercise,  to  intercede  expressly  in 
behalf  of  the  "  gemman  present  from  York."  The 
prayer  ended,  a  devout  old  negro,  called  Pete,  imme- 


CHARLESTON.  105 

diately  struck  up  the  hymn  beginning,  "  I'm  bound 
for  de  kingdom."  But  old  Pete  had,  apparently,  for 
gotten,  in  his  zeal,  the  presence  of  the  eminent  gen 
tleman  from  New  York,  and  had  to  be  snubbed  by 
the  sexton. 

"  Stop  dat,  you  nigger !  "  quickly  exclaimed  the 
official,  looking,  at  the  same  time,  sharply  at  the 
singer's  face,  and  then,  after  a  pause,  pointing  up 
ward,  he  called  out,  authoritatively  : 

"  Choir,  sing  4  Vital  spark.'  " 

The  singing  was  not  bad;  the  tone  of  voice 
being  pure,  and  the  chief  deficiency  consisting  in  the 
lack  of  expression.  All  the  other  exercises,  likewise, 
were  done  decently  and  in  order. 

From  the  negro,  whether  under  the  sounding 
board  of  the  conventicle,  or  the  hammer  of  the  auc 
tioneer,  to  Powers,  the  sculptor,  may  seem  a  pretty 
long  stride  ;  but  the  statue  of  Mr.  Calhoun,  by  this 
great  American  bust  maker,  stands  in  the  old  State 
House,  at  but  a  short  distance  from  either  the  meet 
ing  house,  or  the  slave  market.  With  a  disposition 
to  speak  well  of  native  art,  I  cannot,  however,  attrib 
ute  to  this  statue  of  the  distinguished  Carolinian  any 
high  degree  of  merit  beyond  that  of  possessing  a 
good  head.  Unfortunately,  the  marble,  too,  has  the 
fault  of  being  the  least  bit  smutty  at  the  tip  of  the 
nose,  and  suggests  the  homely  idea  of  snuff-taking. 
5* 


106  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

The  body  is  encumbered  by  the  drapery,  which, 
though  wrought  with  very  great  pains,  seems  to  be 
heavy  with  the  water  of  the  wet  garments  after 
which  it  must  have  been  modelled.  The  three  folds 
on  the  left  shoulder  are  particularly  stiff  and  monoto 
nous.  The  figure,  represented  as  stepping  forward, 
is  impeded,  in  so  doing,  by  two  supports,  one  on 
either  side.  The  left  arm  is  elevated  awkwardly,  to 
hold  a  scroll  bearing  an  inscription,  which,  at  a  little 
distance,  looks  as  though  it  were  done  in  red  chalk, 
and  produces  rather  a  burlesque  effect  than  other 
wise.  But  the  weakest  points  in  the  statue  are  the 
hands  and  arms,  which  look  still  weaker  when  con 
trasted  with  the  remarkable  strength  and  boldness 
of  the  head.  It  was  a  pity,  indeed,  to  impair  the 
effect  of  so  excellent  a  bust  by  adding  a  body  to  it. 

Before  leaving  Charleston,  I  did  not  fail  to  take  a 
look  at  its  environs.  On  a  bright,  sunny  afternoon, 
the  soft  southwest  wind  gently  blowing,  I  was 
driven  out  by  a  friend  to  his  farm,  situated  a  few 
miles  out  of  town.  The  rather  quiet  landscape  was 
made  attractive  by  numerous  liveoaks,  with  sturdy, 
broadly  spreading  branches,  by  tall,  dark-leafed 
magnolias,  and  by  the  graceful  wild  oranges,  all 
being  evergreens.  Some  of  these  trees  were  draped 
with  grapevines  climbing  to  their  summits  ;  and  the 
hedges  were  green  with  the  Cherokee  rose,  and  the 


CHARLESTON.  107 

yellow  jessamine.  In  a  stroll  through  the  gardens  of 
a  farmhouse,  I  gathered  a  nosegay  of  fragrant  vio 
lets,  snowdrops,  jonquils,  and  Christmas  berries, 
which,  brought  home,  filled  my  apartment  for  hours 
with  a  sweet,  summer  perfume. 

But  the  most  pleasing  feature  of  the  scenery 
which  came  within  my  observation,  on  this  excur 
sion,  was  an  avenue,  or,  rather,  a  couple  of  avenues, 
of  liveoaks  of  unusual  size  and  beauty.  The  trees 
being  fully  grown,  the  crooked  branches  stretched 
themselves  high  in  the  air,  numerous  as  the  masts  in 
the  crowded  seaport,  and  strong  enough  to  supply 
the  joints  and  knees  of  the  proudest  ships  of  war. 
They  stretched  high  overhead,  and  apparently  half 
way  to  heaven,  until  gradually  lost  in  the  tapering 
twigs,  and  evergreen  leaves,  and  gracefully  pendent 
mosses.  The  stems  had  the  strength  of  the  columns 
of  some  great  temple  in  Thebes  or  Palmyra.  And 
yet,  I  was  told  that  these  monarchs  of  the.  plain  had 
scarcely  yet  attained  their  threescore  years  and  ten. 
When  the  old  men  of  Charleston  were  in  their  cra 
dles,  these  oaks  were  tiny  acorns,  such  as  I  trod  under 
foot  as  I  walked  thoughtfully  in  the  vast,  checkered 
shade  of  these  green  avenues.  So  vigorous  and 
rapid  is  the  groAvth  of  vegetable  forms  in  this  clime 
of  the  sun. 

On  returning  from  the  country,  I  drove  through 


108  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

the  Mount  Auburn  of  Charleston,  called,  from  the 
beautiful  trees  interspersed  through  it,  the  Magnolia 
Cemetery.  But,  entertaining  always  a  decided  dis 
position  to  keep  out  of  places  of  this  sort  as  long  as 
may  be,  I  was  scarcely  in  the  mood  to  do  justice  to 
this  promenade  among  the  graves.  As  it  was,  the 
situation  seemed  to  me  little  better  than  a  collection 
of  low  sandhills,  the  monotony  of  which  was  varied, 
after  the  manner  of  the  Chinese,  by  a  few  pools  of 
standing  water.  The  principal  monuments,  as  is 
generally  the  case  in  cemeteries,  had  a  look  of  more 
or  less  vain  ostentation  about  them ;  their  propor 
tions  being  rarely  good,  and  the  carving  being 
almost  always  tawdry.  The  simplest  forms,  and 
lines  of  ornament,  certainly,  sympathize  best  with 
heartfelt  grief;  and  we  generally  raise  the  monument 
to  ourselves,  rather  than  to  the  dead,  whenever  we 
overdo  it.  '  Some  new  tombs  in  the  Egyptian  style 
were  pointed  out  to  me  as  particularly  "  nice  ; "  one 
of  them  having  a  glass  door  which  allowed  all  curi 
ous  persons  to  look  in,  and  see  the  coffins.  But, 
thinking  the  sight  could  not  possibly  prove  entertain 
ing,  I  drove  out  of  the  grounds  at  as  fast  a  walk  as 
the  regulations  of  the  place  would  admit  of. 

Returning  to  town,  we  passed  along  the  Battery, 
the  principal  promenade  of  the  Charlestonians,  and  a 
truly  beautiful  one.  Two  rivers,  the  Cooper  and  the 


CHARLESTON.  109 

Ashley,  flow  past  it  into  the  bay,  which  here  spreads 
out  to  view  a  pleasant  expanse  of  waters.  Almost 
entirely  landlocked,  the  Palmetto  Islands  bound  it  on 
the  south  ;  to  the  eastward  project  into  the  water 
the  two  salient  points  of  Forts  Sumter  and  Moultrie ; 
while  in  the  west,  when  I  first  saw  it,  lay  diffused 
over  all  the  beautiful  tints  of  the  sunset.  And,  night 
after  night,  as  I  returned  to  the  Battery  at  that  hour, 
the  sky  was  ever  aglow  with  the  same  hues  of  purple 
and  salmon  color,  of  saffron,  rose,  and  green.  On 
the  first  evening,  too,  the  full  moon,  rising  above 
the  eastern  horizon,  scattered  innumerable  sparkling 
points  of  light  in  a  line  across  the  dancing  waves, 
laying  a  necklace  of  diamonds  on  the  bosom  of  the 
bay.  A  little  later  in  the  year,  all  the  fashion  of 
Charleston  will  be  met,  at  the  hour  of  twilight, 
promenading  on  this  smoothly  laid  sea  wall.  Nightly 
the  cool  breeze  from  the  water  fans  them,  and  re 
freshes  their  languid  spirits,  when  May-day  intro 
duces  the  season  of  hot  weather.  And  hence  has 
grown  up  the  proverb,  that  the  Charlestonians  live 
but  during  two  months  of  the  year — in  February,  for 
the  sake  of  the  races,  and  in  May,  for  that  of  the 
promenade  upon  the  Battery. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

Savannah. 

WITH  pleasant  regrets  I  took  my  leave  of 
Charleston,  and,  passing  the  long  Palmetto 
Islands,  saluted  once  more  the  open,  broad  Atlantic. 
As  the  sun  came  up  higher,  its  rays,  agreeably  tem 
pered  by  a  slight  haze  in  the  air,  made  for  us  a  sum 
mer  sea  in  February.  And  such  the  sea  remained 
the  livelong  day  ;  a  soft  southwest  breeze  just  raising 
a  ripple  over  the  azure  expanse,  and  the  bosom  of 
the  ocean  only  so  much  heaving  as  when  it  is  most 
at  rest.  It  was  but  mere  pastime  for  the  white  sea 
gulls  to  follow  us  on  lazily  flapping  wings ;  often 
resting  poised  in  the  air,  now  dipping,  for  a  moment, 
in  the  ship's  white  wake  of  foam,  and  then  alighting 
gracefully  upon  their  watery  nests,  to  be  rocked 
asleep  by  the  gently  rolling  waves,  as  from  the 
branches  of  trees  the  birds'  nests  hang  swinging  in 
the  summer  winds.  The  whole  day  long  not  a  sail 


SAVANNAH.  1U 

was  to  be  seen,  making  the  ocean  seem  like  an  idler 
keeping  holiday ;  and,  at  nightfall,  our  steamer 
brought  us  to  land  in  the  haven  where  we  would 
be — that  of  Savannah. 

Comparisons  are  proverbially  odious ;  and  any 
one  that  might  be  instituted  between  two  such  rival 
cities  as  Savannah  and  Charleston,  would  not  be 
agreeable  to  the  inhabitants  of  either  of  them. 
These  two  towns  are  well  known  to  be  antipodes  in 
taste  and  opinion ;  whatever  is  most  applauded  by 
the  one,  being  held  in  great  disrespect  by  the  other. 
The  Charlestonians  think  well  of  their  city  on  ac 
count  of  its  fine  old  baronial  mansions,  and  pride 
themselves  upon  the  length  of  pedigree  which  can 
be  shown  by  the  families  residing  in  them.  But 
they  of  Savannah,  who  live  in  houses  built  in  the 
newer  style  of  architecture,  and  worship  in  church 
edifices  the  origin  of  which  hardly  dates  so  far  back 
as  the  American  Revolution,  do  not  consider  them 
selves  upstarts,  for  all  that.  They  put  the  "  Pulaski" 
against  the  "  Mills  House  ; "  Bull  street  against  the 
Charleston  Battery ;  Bonaventure  and  Thunderbolt 
road  against  the  Magnolia  Cemetery  and  the  plank 
turnpike ;  their  park  of  pines  against  the  one  pal 
metto  ;  and  the  muddy  waters  of  the  Savannah,  and 
the  town  pumps,  against  the  bay  of  Charleston,  its 
forts  and  islands.  It  is  a  very  great  pity  that  there 


112  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS, 

should  be  this  variance  of  taste  between  neighbors ; 
but  still  I  should  hardly  undertake  to  decide  the 
large  number  of  questions  in  dispute  between  the 
two  parties,  unless  I  were  officially  requested  to  do 
so  by  the  town  authorities,  and  were  tendered  my 
fees.  I  may,  however,  be  allowed  to  say,  that  it 
happened  to  me,  on  more  than  one  occasion,  to  hear 
residents  of  Savannah  boasting  of  being  the  fifth  or 
sixth  in  descent  from  some  of  the  old,  pre-revolution- 
ary  aristocrats  of  the  more  northerly  metropolis.  It 
is  acknowledged,  moreover,  by  the  Savannese,  tli.it 
Georgia  is  a  border  land — a  State  of  transition  be 
tween  the  new  Southwest,  with  its  population  of 
thrifty  but  recently-born  cotton  and  sugar  lords,  and 
Carolina,  settled  so  many  generations  earlier  by  the 
cavaliers  of  England.  I  speak,  of  course,  of  the 
southern  Carolina ;  for,  the  difference  in  character 
between  this  and  the  other  twin  sister,  has  been 
strongly  marked  from  its  first  settlement  down  to  the 
present  times.  Whenever  the  Charlestonian  talks  of 
Carolina,  it  is  of  his  Carolina ;  and  in  case  of  your 
alluding  to  the  other,  he  shrugs  his  shoulders,  and 
reminds  you  that  that  State  was  originally  a  colony 
of  hard-fisted,  bull-headed  Scotchmen. 

But,  all  invidious  comparisons  aside,  Savannah  is 
a  pretty  town,  half  city,  half  village,  and  well  de 
serves  its  graceful  name.  Beautiful  shade  trees  have 


SAVANNAH.  113 

been  planted  in  the  streets,  most  of  which  are  wide 
and  straight,  having  originally  been  laid  out,  as  it 
would  appear,  by  line  and  compass.  There  are  not 
crooked  ones  enough  to  give  even  a  little  variety  to 
the  monotonous  right  angles.  Still,  it  is  pleasant,  in 
this  early  season  of  the  year,  when  the  leaves  are 
new,  and  the  heat  of  the  approaching  sun  begins  to 
assert  its  great  power,  to  take  one's  promenade  in 
checkered  shade.  For  this  exercise,  the  street  of 
streets  is  Bull  street.  Here  reside  many  of  the 
opulent  families,  and  here  walks  all  the  fashion. 
Through  this  thoroughfare,  also,  roll  the  pleasant 
carriages,  if  a  carriage  can  be  said  to  roll  in  sand ; 
and  the  young  bloods  canter  the  horses,  which,  a  few 
degrees  farther  north,  would  be  trained  to  trot. 

At  intervals,  along  this  Corso,  there  are  pretty 
green  squares,  likewise  decorated  with  shade  trees  ; 
and  in  the  centre  of  each  one,  instead  of  a  fountain, 
stands  a  tall  wooden  pump.  Sufficiently  conspicuous 
in  itself,  this  useful  ornament  was  made  more  so 
from  the  circumstance  that,  whenever  I  happened  to 
be  passing,  there  rarely  failed  to  stand  a  negro  or 
two,  working  away  at  the  handles  so  lazily  that  the 
question  might  be  raised,  whether  it  were  he  that 
was  working  the  pump,  or  the  pump  that  was  work 
ing  him. 

But  continue  your  promenade  to  the  end  of  Bull 


114  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE   TROPICS. 

street,  and  there  you  shall  see  the  city  park.  It  is  an 
enclosure  of  a  few  acres,  shaded  by  tall,  resinous 
pines,  which  cast  upon  the  green  turf  beneath  them 
a  pleasing  shade.  The  place  is  laid  out  with  much 
simplicity  in  paths,  half  sand,  half  shell ;  but  you 
have  permission,  likewise  to  walk,  or  sit  upon  the 
grass  and  the  wooden  benches,  and  to  admire  the 
neat  stone  fountain,  which,  situated  in  the  centre  of 
the  grove,  sends  a  few  playful  though  feeble  streams 
out  of  the  horns  of  sundry  Tritons  and  sea  gods.  It 
is  a  pretty  work  of  art  enough,  except  that  the  water 
nymph,  standing  on  the  summit,  has  her  left  hip 
badly  out  of  joint ;  as  one  may  more  distinctly  see 
on  going  behind  her.  It  is  rather  a  pity,  too,  that 
the  artist's  fancy,  after  bringing  to  birth  the  marine 
divinities  which  grace  the  lower  part  of  the  foun 
tain,  should  have  so  completely  exhausted  itself  on 
reaching  the  principal  basin,  where,  in  utter  lack  of 
any  mermaids,  or  lions'  heads,  or  other  artistic  con 
ceit,  the  water  is  left  to  run  out  of  plain,  straight, 
pipes,  no  more  ornamental  than  the  town  pumps. 
However,  it  is  a  nice  little  fountain ;  and,  what  with 
the  well-dressed  ladies  and  gentlemen  'who  nightly 
come  out  to  look  at  it,  and  the  numerous  children 
joyously  romping  under  the  trees,  and  the  small 
babies  that  are  carted  out  there  to  get  their  airing, 
brings  pleasantly  to  the  mind  of  the  traveller  the 


SAVANNAH.  115 

many  beautiful  fountains  and  gardens  of  the  old 
countries. 

On  your  way  both  to  and  from  the  park,  you 
meet  a  considerable  number  of  Northern  invalids. 
For  this  city,  situated  in  a  plain  of  pure  silex,  has 
the  advantage  of  a  dryer  climate  than  that  to  be 
found  in  any  other  of  the  great  towns  of  the  South. 
It  cannot,  however,  be  called  a  dry  air,  except  by 
comparison ;  nor  is  it  particularly  pure  or  invigorat 
ing.  Vexed  by  few  high  winds,  indeed,  the  winters 
are  mild,  and  much  more  favorable,  no  doubt,  to  cer 
tain  kinds  of  valetudinarianism  than  the  rigorous 
ones  of  New  England.  Certain  it  is,  that  the  habit 
of  invalids  to  come  from  the  North  to  Savannah  is  a 
long-established  one.  In  such  numbers  do  they  con 
gregate  here,  that,  at  breakfast  at  the  hotel  tables, 
one  hears  on  all  sides  the  questions  asked,  "  How  did 
you  sleep  last  night  ?  "  "  How  is  your  cough  this 
morning  ?  "  And  in  walking  the  streets,  likewise, 
the  talk  overheard  is  always  a  good  deal  about  rheu 
matism  and  the  liniments. 

I  could  more  confidently  recommend  Savannah  as 
a  winter  residence  for  consumptive  patients,  if  the 
hotels  there  were  only  a  little  better.  The  recent 
theory  of  physicians  is,  that  persons  afflicted  with 
pulmonary  disease  should  be  kept  on  a  generous, 
nutritious  diet.  But  this  pleasant  remedy  is  not  so 


116  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

easily  to  be  obtained  at  the  public  tables  in  Savan 
nah.  Nor  are  there  any  good  restaurants ;  though 
something  might  undoubtedly  be  done  toward  im 
proving  his  fare,  by  the  patient's  getting  up  early  in 
the  morning,  and  doing  a  certain  portion  of  market 
ing  himself.  In  that  way  he  might  obtain  some  deli 
cacies  which  waiter  and  cook  would  be  only  too 
happy,  for  a  valuable  consideration,  to  set  before 
him.  He  may  also  find  himself  sometimes  quartered 
in  the  neighborhood  of  noisy  courtyards ;  for  I  re 
member  that,  in  one  upon  which  opened  the  windows 
of  my  apartment,  there  stood  a  machine  for  cracking 
ice,  which,  being  kept  in  pretty  constant  action  both 
by  day  and  evening,  made  quite  noise  enough  to 
wind  up  the  nerves  of  any  one  who  had  them  much 
unstrung.  And  in  case  this  might  not  suffice,  the 
addition  of  the  music  made  by  two  small  darkeys 
who  were  learning  the  art  of  drumming,  the  one  by 
practising  upon  an  empty  cigar  box,  and  the  other 
upon  a  cracked  tin  kettle,  surely  would. 

During  the  day  passed  in  that  apartment,  I, 
Yankee-like,  spent  some  time  in  making  an  estimate 
of  the  expense  to  which  I  should  be  put,  in  under 
taking  to  have  the  amount  of  noise  which  was  pro 
duced  by  the  drums  and  the  ice  machine,  manufac 
tured  for  my  entertainment  in  any  other  manner,  by 
one  or  more  black  boys  hired  expressly  for  the  pur- 


SAVANNAH.  U7 

pose.  But  it  was  so  great  that  I  forbear  mentioning 
it.  Should,  however,  the  prescription  of  whiskey, 
with  a  slight  addition  of  water  and  sugar,  be  recom 
mended,  as  it  was  a  few  years  ago  by  many  Southern 
practitioners,  as  a  remedy  for  consumption,  the  Sa- 
vannese  guest  will  not  have  it  in  his  power  to  com 
plain  that  his  wants  in  this  respect  have  not  been 
provided  for.  Indeed,  let  the  patient  travel  on  any 
of  the  great  roads  in  this  part  of  the  country  that  he 
may,  the  supply  of  this  remedy  will  not  fail  him  ; 
for  scarcely  a  railroad  train  stops  anywhere,  that  one 
does  not  see  rudely  painted  in  large  letters,  over  the 
door  of  some  shanty  more  or  less  well-looking,  the 
word  "  Bar-room." 

But,  against  plenty  of  liquor,  the  invalid  who 
visits  Savannah  must  set  sandy  roads  and  exorbitant 
carriage  fees.  I  know  not  by  what  rule  it  happens, 
that  horse  hire  in  this  city  should  be  so  unusually 
expensive,  unless  it  be  to  maintain  a  certain  propor 
tion  between  the  rate  of  charges  and  the  depth  of 
the  silex  one  is  driven  through.  Yet  let  me  hasten 
to  add,  that  any  such  little  drawbacks  to  the  perfect 
satisfaction  and  happiness  of  the  invalid  which  I 
have  here  taken  the  liberty  to  allude  to,  will  be  more 
than  compensated,  no  doubt,  by  the  hospitality  and 
kindness  of  the  people  among  whom  he  comes  to 
take  up  a  temporary  residence.  In  their  cheerful  and 


118  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

well-appointed  houses,  such  petty  deficiencies  and 
discomforts  will  be  quite  forgotten.  Besides  intelli 
gent  and  refined  society,  he  will  find,  in  some  of 
them,  collections  of  rare  and  valuable  books,  as  well 
as  of  ancient  and  costly  manuscripts,  and  of  interest 
ing  autographs,  the  equals  of  which  can  be  seen  in 
few  American  cities,  and  which  will  furnish  no  little 
consolation  to  the  stranger  in  weather  not  suitable 
for  promenading  in  Bull  street. 

Whoever  visits  Savannah,  drives,  of  course,  out 
to  Bonaventure.  Everybody  expects  him  to  take 
this  drive,  and  he  expects  to  do  it  himself.  He  goes 
by  the  Thunderbolt  road  as  far  as  the  Thunderbolt 
road  will  take  him ;  and  then  he  turns  off*  into  a 
highway,  where  the  sight  of  his  horses'  hoofs  and 
the  felloes  of  his  carriage  wheels  is  immediately  lost 
in  from  two  to  four  inches  of  sand.  Still  another 
inch  of  the  same  being  suspended  in  the  air  in  the 
form  of  dust,  it  certainly  would  not  be  libelling  this 
road — for  the  privilege  of  passing  over  which  a 
handsome  little  toll  is  collected  from  the  traveller — 
to  describe  it  as  a  sandy  one.  However,  it  leads 
through  the  pleasant  pine  woods,  and  has,  at  the  end 
of  it,  in  Bonaventure,  what  might  be  made,  with  little 
pains  and  expense,  the  most  imposing  place  of  sepul 
ture  to  be  found  in  the  country.  The  spot  is  well 
known  from  the  descriptions  of  travellers,  the  charac- 


SAVANNAH.  119 

teristic  feature  of  it  consisting  in  several  avenues  of 
evergreen  oaks.  Planted  a  hundred  or  more  years 
ago,  they  have  now  attained  very  great  height,  while 
from  their  branches  hangs  pendent  a  funereal  pall  of 
gray  moss.  The  groves  of  the  Druids  were  not  dark 
with  so  solemn  a  gloom.  The  profoundest  silence 
reigns  in  these  magnificent  and  sombre  aisles,  where 
repose  the  ashes  of  the  dead ;  broken  only  by  the 
moaning  of  the  treetops  when  the  winds  sweep  over 
them,  wrestling  with  the  huge  gnarled  branches,  and 
making  the  gray  moss  wave  like  mourners'  tresses, 
strewn  with  ashes ;  or  more  cheerfully  broken,  in 
mild,  sunny  days,  such  as  that  wherein  I  first  visited 
it,  by  the  sweet  voices  of  the  wood  birds,  which 
build  their  nests  and  rear  their  young  in  these  green, 
sylvan  retreats.  It  was,  indeed,  a  sweet,  soothing 
requiem  which  these  little  songsters  were  singing  on 
that  May  morning;  one  expressive  of  the  tender 
sympathy  of  nature  for  man,  when,  at  last,  he  lies 
down  to  sleep  on  her  bosom,  and  suggestive  of  a 
happy  existence  after  he  shall  have  awaked  re 
freshed  by  his  slumbers. 

In  returning  from  the  cemetery,  we  soon  came 
upon  a  little  garden  of  flowers,  the  blowing  roses, 
fragrant  pinks,  and  glowing  verbenas  of  which  made 
a  pleasing  contrast  with  the  gloom  of  the  grand  old 
woods.  From  one  place  to  the  other  was  like  a  step 


120  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

from  death  to  life,  and  produced  a  most  exhilarating 
effect  upon  the  spirits.  The  gardener  gave  us  flow 
ers,  which,  taken  in  the  hand,  put  the  whole  party  at 
once  into  holiday  attire,  and  made  us  no  longer 
thoughtful  mourners,  but  revellers  in  the  midst  of 
the  full  life  and  beauty  of  nature.  So  buoyed  up 
were  all  our  hearts,  that,  in  returning  home,  we  in 
sisted  on  making  a  diversion  through  Lovers'  Lane, 
in  spite  of  the  dust  and  heat  of  the  way ;  nor  did 
even  the  celebrated  but  ill-jointed  plank  road,  so 
called,  over  which  we  finally  drove  into  town,  suffice 
to  finish  us. 

But  the  black  boy  who  showed  us  through  the 
flower  garden  I  must  not  forget  to  mention,  simply 
for  the  sake  of  his  name.  It  was  January  !  Can  a 
more  shocking  misnomer  be  found  anywhere  on 
record  ?  If  left  to  make  his  own  selection  of  a  pre- 
nomen,  the  month  which  stands  in  the  calendar  for 
midwinter  would,  I  am  sure,  have  been  the  last  he 
would  have  pitched  upon,  and  must  undoubtedly 
cause  a  cold  chill  to  creep  down  his  back  every  time 
he  hears  his  name  called.  Name  a  negro  after  a  hot 
month  ;  calling  him  after  the  last  one  in  summer,  for 
example,  Augustus — Augustus  Caesar — and  his  appel 
lation  will  be  a  subject  of  joy  and  pride  to  him  as 
long  as  he  lives.  But  it  is  too  cruel  to  call  him 
January.  I  was  tempted  to  ask  the  poor  fellow  if 


SAVANNAH.  121 

his  wife's  name  were  July ;  but,  having  compassion 
on  him,  I  varied  the  question,  and  inquired  if  he  did 
not  like  the  hot  weather.  He  said  he  did ;  and,  of 
his  own  accord,  added :  "  Dere  be  nothing  so  good 
for  de  nigger  as  to  build  a  big  fire  in  de  rice  field, 
and  toast  his  shins  in  dog  day." 

The  negroes,  by  the  way,  often  have  very  odd 
names.  The  boy  at  the  hotel  who  waited  on  me  at 
table,  answered  to  the  name  of  Plenty :  a  name 
surely  good  enough  so  long  as  there  was  plenty  of 
roast  beef  and  plum  pudding  to  be  had  for  the  ask 
ing  ;  but  one  involving  a  pungent  sarcasm  whenever, 
as  was  sometimes  the  case,  he  brought  back  the 
guest's  empty  plate,  with  the  reply,  "  Roast  beef  all 
gone,  massa ! " 

However,  Plenty  and  the  other  boys  all  waited  at 
table  to  the  best  of  their  faculties,  and  never  failed 
to  satisfy  me,  except  when  they  had  partially  lost 
their  heads  from  mixing  their  toddy  with  a  stick  a 
trifle  stiffer  than  it  should  have  been.  One  day,  I 
remember,  when  old  Pete  was  unusually  tipsy,  he 
began  with  asking  whether  I  would  have  soup,  lob 
ster,  or  pie ;  and  afterward,  when  I  was  quietly 
enjoying  my  coffee,  he  disturbed  my  composure  by 
the  inquiry,  if  massa  would  not  be  pleased  to  be 
helped  to  some  "  wery  nice  wegetables  !  " 

But  my  chamber-boy  had  a  name  which  pleased 


122  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

me,  perhaps,  as  much  as  any  other,  and  was  certainly 
a  source  of  the  very  greatest  satisfaction  to  himself. 
He  was  a  conscientious  and  most  reliable  black  boy  ; 
but,  one  evening,  before  that  fact  was  known  to  me, 
wishing  to  be  awaked  at  an  early  hour  on  the  morn 
ing  following,  I  called  the  boy,  and,  looking  doubt- 
ingly  in  his  face,  put  to  him  the  question  : 

"  Now,  can  you  be  relied  upon  to  wake  me  to 
morrow  morning  at  six  o'clock  ?  " 

Whereupon,  gathering  all  there  was  of  himself 
up — for  he  was  very  short-legged — and  looking  at 
me  with  a  face  of  mingled  astonishment  and  indigna 
tion,  he  replied : 

"  Sir,  my  name  is  Chisholm  (Chism) !  " 


CHAPTER   X, 
A    Georgia   Railway. 

M  AWFUL  hot,  madam,"  said  a  gent  in  the  'bus, 
_JLJL  who  happened  to  be  sitting  next  to  the 
lady  by  my  side,  as  we  drove  through  the  streets 
of  Savannah  to  the  station  of  the  railway  to  Mont 
gomery.  We  were  early  at  the  station,  it  being  the 
custom  of  landlords  hereabouts  to  speed  the  parting 
guest,  and  get  him  out  of  the  house  about  an  hour  in 
advance  of  the  time.  There  was,  however,  no  lack 
of  laggards,  one  of  whom  came  to  the  conductor, 
just  as  the  train  was  about  to  start,  with  the  request 
that  he  would  wait  a  few  minutes,  as  he  had  some 
cigars  coming.  The  conductor  waited  for  the  cigars. 
But,  when  these  had  arrived,  a  lady  came  running 
into  the  station  house,  and  implored  the  official  to 
wait  a  few  minutes  for  her  trunk. 

"  Oh,  my !  "  she  exclaimed,  "  I  must  go  by  the 


124  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

train — it  is  a  case  of  necessity — and  the  trunk  will 
be  here  in  a  few  moments  !  Oh,  my  !  oh,  my  !  " 

It  was  absolutely  certain,  she  said,  that  the  trunk 
would  be  brought  in  a  very  few  minutes  ;  for  a  man 
had  just  gone  over  to  the  other  side  of  the  river  to 
fetch  it  in  a  cart.  "Well,  the  gallant  conductor  waited 
for  the  trunk  also.  But  when  that  had  finally  ap 
peared,  the  lady's  son,  a  lad  of  some  five  years  of 
age,  took  it  into  his  little  head  that  he  himself  was 
not  ready  to  go.  Neither  the  entreaties  of  papa  nor 
of  mamma  could  induce  him  to  do  anything  with  his 
tiny  feet  but  stamp  with  them  vehemently  upon  the 
platform,  while,  with  a  loud  voice,  he  cried  out : 

"  I'm  not  ready — not  ready  !  I  tell  you  I  won't 
go— won't  go !  " 

But  his  papa  insisting  on  his  instantaneous  depar 
ture,  and  taking  him  up  in  his  arms  to  put  him  into 
the  car,  the  precocious  youth,  bethinking  himself  of 
one  more  reason  for  delay,  bellowed  forth  : 

"  But  mamma's  trunk — wait  for  the  trunk  !  " 

The  conductor,  however,  though  a  little  slow  at 
the  setting  out,  appeared  to  be  fast  enough  after  he 
had  once  got  under  way.  Besides  a  diamond  ring, 
and  bright  gilt  buttons  in  his  waistcoat,  he  wore  for 
breastpin  a  miniature  copy  of  a  railway  engine,  and 
proved  to  be  a  very  civil  person — fops  sometimes 
making  good  conductors.  But  he  gave  me  a  greasy 


A    GEORGIA   RAILWAY.  125 

check,  bearing  on  its  unwashed  face  the  printed  com 
mand,  "  Keep  this  in  sight."  Now  I  was  not  myself 
of  the  opinion  that  such  a  soiled  piece  of  pasteboard 
would  be  ornamental  to  my  hat  ribbon  ;  nor  could  I 
think  of  parading  it,  like  an  order  of  merit,  on  my 
coat  collar.  It  seemed  to  me,  that  if  tickets  and 
checks  of  clean  paper  were  sufficiently  in  harmony 
with  our  democratic  institutions,  they  would  be  much 
preferable. 

Fortunately,  the  small  number  of  passengers  in 
the  train  gave  to  the  gentlemen  the  opportunity — so 
gladly  improved  in  this  part  of  the  country — of  sit 
ting  on  their  backs ;  for  travellers  here  seem  natu 
rally  to  fall  into  sprawling  attitudes.  Before  me  sat, 
or  rather  lay,  quite  regardless  of  the  presence  of 
ladies,  a  gent  in  black  broadcloth,  with  both  feet 
projecting  out  of  the  window,  his  arms  thrown  back 
over  his  head,  and  his  five-dollar  beaver  resting  on 
his  stomach.  At  my  side  lay  another,  with  legs 
crossed,  one  foot  resting  on  the  seat  before  him,  and 
the  other  raised  halfway  to  the  carriage  roof.  A  tall 
Kentuckian  managed  actually  to  extend  himself  over 
three  seats  ;  his  head  resting  on  one,  his  back  partly 
on  the  next,  and  partly  on  his  portmanteau,  which 
had  been  so  arranged  as  to  bridge  the  interval ; 
while  his  legs,  extending  through  the  open  back  of 
the  second  seat,  were  long  enough  to  bring  his  feet 


126  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

comfortably  upon  the  third.  And — poor  fellow! — 
when  he  found  that  he  could  not  sleep  in  this  position 
as  quietly  as  he  desired,  he  went  outside,  and  sat 
upon  the  platform — observing  the  letter  only  of  the 
order  which  forbade  passengers  from  standing  there. 
How  much  I  wished  Mr.  Punch  had  been  present  to 
take  a  sketch  of  the  various  postures  into  which  these 
planters  threw  themselves !  It  would  have  sold  ten 
thousand  copies  extra. 

The  country  from  Savannah  to  Montgomery 
through  which  the  railroad  passes,  is,  for  the  most 
part,  covered  with  woods.  It  is,  in  fact,  a  wilderness 
of  woods,  with  here  and  there  a  plantation  opening. 
Most  of  the  fields  being  still  full  of  stumps,  and  trees 
killed  by  girdling,  it  wears  the  face  of  a  new  coun 
try,  but  recently  reached  by  the  pioneers  of  civiliza 
tion.  In  the  plantations  along  the  road  there  were 
few  buildings  to  be  seen,  excepting  negro  huts  made 
of  logs,  and  small  cottages  of  one  story  occupied  by 
the  masters  ;  though,  in  two  or  three  of  the  towns — 
rather  pretty  and  thrifty  ones — I  noticed  a  goodly 
number  of  well-built  family  mansions,  and  some  large 
warehouses. 

At  midday,  to  vary  the  monotony  of  the  journey, 
the  train  suddenly  came  to  a  full  stop  in  the  woods. 
This  was  rather  ominous,  and  at  once  excited  my  sus 
picions  that  something  had  gone  wrong.  Nor  was  I 


A    GEORGIA   RAILWAY.  127 

kept  long  in  suspense  ;  for  very  soon  the  words  flew 
from  car  to  car,  "  Freight  train  off  the  track ! " 
And,  sure  enough,  there  we  were,  face  to  face  with 
an  engine  and  tender  which  had  been  thrown  from 
the  rails,  and  now  stopped  the  way.  And  how  long 
should  we  be  detained?  Some  said  a  couple  of 
hours ;  others  said  six.  Only  one  thing,  however, 
appeared  to  be  known  with  certainty — namely,  that 
the  engine,  with  its  tender,  was  to  be  lifted  upon  the 
rails  again  by  the  help  of  a  couple  of  screws,  as 
many  big  trees  cut  down  and  converted  into  levers, 
and  the  stout  arms  of  a  dozen  or  two  of  men,  the 
greater  number  of  whom  were  negroes.  It  was  a 
poor  amusement,  to  be  sure,  but  the  best  to  be  had, 
to  observe  how  slowly  and  awkwardly  the  process  of 
repairing  the  damage  was  carried  on.  There  was  one 
captain,  so  called,  having  the  direction  of  the  busi 
ness  ;  but  he  had  so  many  lieutenants,  every  one  en 
tertaining  an  opinion  of  his  own,  that  in  the  multi 
tude  of  counsels  there  seemed  to  be  not  a  little  folly. 
Even  some  of  the  passengers  had  a  word  to  say  as  to 
the  best  manner  of  raising  this  wheel,  or  of  extract 
ing  that  bolt.  Only  the  negroes  appeared  not  to 
know  what  was  to  be  done.  They  looked  on  with 
faces  of  blank  amazement  and  unconcern ;  though 
they  did  all  the  hard  work  at  the  levers,  and  did  it 
willingly. 


128  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE   TROPICS. 

Fortunately,  I  had  that  morning  laid  in  an  extra 
ordinary  supply  of  provisions  for  the  journey,  as  well 
as  of  books  and  papers ;  recent  experience  having 
taught  me  that  it  was  almost  as  desirable  to  have  a 
private  larder  when  travelling  in  our  Southern  States, 
as  it  is  in  journeying  through  the  Castiles  of  Old 
Spain. 

And,  indeed,  what  a  comfort  it  is,  when  wrecked 
in  the  midst  of  a  forest,  with  no  habitations  in  sight 
but  two  or  three  negro  cabins,  and  nothing  eatable 
in  these  to  be  had  save  fried  salt  pork  and  cakes  of 
Indian  meal,  to  have  a  cold  chicken  in  your  basket ! 
A  smoked  herring,  too,  is  not  bad ;  nor  is  a  bit  of 
cheese  ;  nor  are  a  few  SAveet  Havana  oranges.  And 
in  such  a  basket  of  comforts  did  I  find,  that  day, 
both  dinner  and  supper.  The  weather  was  luxuri 
ously  warm,  the  sun  shining  through  the  thick  foliage 
down  among  the  stems  of  the  trees,  and  a  summer 
breeze  in  March  making  all  the  green  leaves  tremble 
and  dance  for  joy.  How  pleasant,  likewise,  it  was  to 
find  a  spring  of  clear,  cold,  bubbling  water  flowing 
fast  by  the  scene  of  this  breakdown !  Here  we 
quenched  the  thirst  of  the  noontide  %with  cheerful 
draughts ;  and  here,  as  the  day  wore  off,  spreading 
our  white  napkins,  we  made  a  travellers'  picnic  in  the 
woods.  Nor,  the  while  we  broke  our  simple  bread, 
did  the  tongues  of  the  mocking  birds  tire  in  the 


A    GEORGIA   RAILWAY.  129 

branches  overhead ;  they  seeming  to  be  as  happy  as 
the  day  was  long — for  so  long  their  singing  lasted. 
Was  it  not,  then,  a  piece  of  good  luck  to  be  kept 
for  six  hours  in  these  green  woods,  with  the  birds 
making  merry  over  our  heads,  and  the  running 
waters  making  merry  at  our  feet  ?  The  magnolia, 
which  spread  its  branches  above  the  spring,  would 
hardly  be  able  many  days  longer  to  restrain  its  buds 
from  bursting.  Here  and  there,  amid  the  masses  of 
emerald  leaves,  the  eye  was  pleased  with  seeing  the 
white  flowering  thorn,  itself  almost  a  tree  ;  and,  not 
far  off,  the  scarcely  less  high  Palmia,  brightening  the 
gloom  with  its  gorgeous  pink  blossoms.  In  roaming 
up  and  down  the  woods,  we  saw  also  various  kinds 
of  parasitical  and  climbing  plants  in  full  bloom, 
crimson,  blue,  and  purple.  On  the  surface  of  pools 
floated  the  water  lilies,  white  and  yellow.  In  fact,  a 
multitude  of  rare  plants  of  the  Southern  clime  were 
growing  on  all  sides,  and  nature  was  everywhere 
opening  her  leaves  and  buds  with  the  joyful  exuber 
ance  of  the  semi-tropical  spring. 

And,  at  last,  this  day  of  detention  had  a  most 
lovely  setting.  The  sun's  rays,  as  he  sank  below 
the  horizon,  burst  through  the  clouds  which  ob 
structed  the  path  of  his  going  down,  converting 
them  now  into  amber,  now  into  molten  gold,  and 
lastly  into  purple.  The  light  had  not  quite  faded 


130  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

out  of  this  tapestry  of  clouds,  nor  out  of  the  lines 
of  apple  green  seen  through  their  openings  in  the 
sky  beyond,  when  the  whistle  of  an  approaching 
train  broke  upon  the  silence  of  the  twilight  air,  and 
announced  to  us  the  means  of  deliverance,  and  of 
speedy  transportation  to  the  end  of  our  journey. 


CHAPTER  XL 

Down   the   Alabama. 

LABAMA  —  a  word  beautiful  both  in  sound 
and  signification.  For,  when  one  of  the 
Cherokee  tribes,  overpowered  in  war  by  its  neigh 
bors,  fled  for  refuge  into  the  great  Southwestern  wil 
derness,  and,  after  many  long  wanderings,  came,  at 
length,  to  the  waters  of  this  beautiful  stream,  with 
high  bluffs  and  luxuriantly  wooded  banks,  the  chief 
tain  of  the  exhausted  tribe  of  exiles,  striking  his 
spear,  in  the  presence  of  his  warriors,  into  one  of  the 
headlands  of  the  river,  exclaimed,  "  Alabama  !  " — 
Here  we  rest ! 

I  cannot  say,  however,  that  I  rested  particularly 
well  the  first  night  on  this  river ;  for  the  pulsations 
sent  through  every  plank  and  timber  of  the  boat  as 
the  piston  opened  and  shut  the  valves  of  the  great, 
strong  heart  laboring  in  the  centre  of  the  structure, 
gave  to  my  narrow  couch  a  motion  a  little  too  much 


132  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

like  cradle-rocking.  Going  down  the  stream,  these 
river  craft  are,  indeed,  a  little  more  steady  and  com 
fortable  ;  but  they  ascend  the  river  in  an  agony  of 
convulsions.  But  the  healthy,  clear  countenance  of 
the  captain  was  a  pretty  good  guarantee  against  our 
being  blown  up  ;  as  were  also  his  pantaloons,  they 
being  made  in  plaits,  after  the  fashion  of  the  Dutch. 
It  was  plain  that  he  was  not  a  fast  man.  Indeed, 
before  starting,  he  waited  a  quarter  of  an  hour  for  a 
gentleman  who  had  forgotten  something  to  go  back 
to  town  for  it ;  and  would  probably  have  stopped 
anywhere  along  the  river  for  a  good  fellow  to  get  a 
"  drink,"  had  the  supply  of  liquor,  by  any  chance, 
given  out  on  board. 

The  company  of  passengers  was  not  an  interest 
ing  one. 

"  Don't  you  think,  sir,  it  is  dangerous  travelling 
on  so  much  water  ? "  inquired  an  Alabama  lady, 
looking  over  the  side  of  the  steamer,  and  commen 
cing  conversation  with  me,  a  perfect  stranger.  But 
I  comforted  her  with  the  assurance  that  the  vessel 
was  both  fire  and  steam  proof. 

"  Came  from  Montgomery,  sir  ?  Going  down  the 
river,  sir  ?  "  she  continued,  piling  question  upon  ques 
tion  in  a  single  breath. 

"  Going  to  Mobile,  madam,"  said  I. 

"  To  visit  your  relations,  I  reckon  ?  " 


DOWN  THE  ALABAMA.  133 

"  Yes  ;  to  spend  a  month  with  ray  aunt." 

"  Well,"  concluded  my  fair  unknown,  "  then  I 
shall  see  you  again." 

"  Most  happy,"  said  I. 

At  dinner,  as  ill  luck  would  have  it,  I  was  placed 
next  to  a  still  less  agreeable  lady,  and  one  who, 
strange  to  say,  was  a  first-class  passenger — had  her 
state  room,  and  wore  her  cameo.  At  table  she  went 
straight  through  everything.  In  such  quick  succes 
sion  were  the  dishes  which  the  waiters  set  before  her 
devoured,  she  seemed  a  travelling  gnome  or  ogress. 
Not  only  did  she  eat  with  her  knife,  but,  from  time 
to  time,  she  looked  me  in  the  face  with  eyes  so  sharp 
arid  fierce,  as  to  awaken,  at  last,  the  fearful  suspicion 
that  she  was  going  to  begin  on  me  after  having  fin 
ished  her  chicken.  Did  mortal  man  or  woman  ever 
before  empty  such  loaded  plates  of  pastry,  and  live  ? 
Upon  my  word,  when  I  saAV  her,  an  hour  after  din 
ner,  on  the  guards  of  the  boat,  smoking  a  long  clay 
pipe,  and  spitting  right  and  left  over  the  floor,  I  was 
scarcely  so  much  surprised  at  the  vulgarity  of  her 
manners,  as  at  seeing  the  woman  alive  and  well  after 
so  much  gorging. 

It  is  doing  no  more  than  justice  to  the  company, 
however,  to  add,  that  the  boat  had  its  cotton  dow 
ager  on  board.  What  Southern  steamer,  in  fact, 
would  have  its  requisite  complement  of  passengers, 


134  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

without  some  one  or  more  of  this  quality  among 
them  ?  The  great  lady  wore,  as  travelling  dress,  a 
rich  brown  brocade  ;  while  her  eldest  daughter,  who 
accompanied  her,  was  arrayed  in  a  tissue  of  roses, 
palm  leaves,  and  birds  of  paradise.  The  party,  it 
may  well  be  believed,  was  the  great  sight  of  the 
boat ;  as  was  the  putting  them  out  at  their  own  land 
ing  the  principal  event  of  the  voyage.  Indeed,  it  was 
a  very  grand  affair,  this  putting  of  them  out ;  nothing 
better  of  the  kind  having  happened,  so  far  as  I  know, 
since  the  day  when  Noah  went  out  of  the  ark  with 
all  his  retinue.  For  they  were  put  out,  the  planter 
and  his  wife,  his  sons  and  his  daughters,  his  man 
servants  and  his  maidservants,  with  their  hogsheads, 
barrels,  kegs,  bags,  boxes,  bundles,  kettles,  teapots, 
saucepans,  trunks,  bandboxes,  umbrellas,  and  bird 
cages. 

A  valiant  trencher  woman,  it  may  be  added, 
almost  as  valiant  as  iny  ogress  herself,  was  this 
grand  dowager ;  and  repeatedly  did  she  strike  her 
fork  into  the  platter  of  fried  oysters  set  at  the  head 
of  the  table  before  the  captain.  But,  fortunately, 
the  dish  so  energetically  attacked  by  the  lady  in  bro 
cade  was  too  enormous  in  size  to  suffer  much  from 
her  depredations.  It  held  a  good  half  bushel.  Still, 
the  extraordinary  rapidity  with  which  all  these 
bivalves  were  distributed,  would  have  surprised  any 


DOWN  THE  ALABAMA.  135 

one  not  accustomed  to  the  fast  manners  of  steamboat 
tables.  For  the  waiters  came  for  them  in  a  perfect 
furore,  with  arms  outstretched,  and  in  almost  as  co 
pious  a  perspiration  as  if  they  were  running  for  a 
wager  over  a  Magnolia  race  course.  This  set  of 
boys  had  evidently  been  trained  to  rapid  movement 
as  thoroughly  as  any  Zouaves  or  Turcos. 

"  Coffee,  or  tea,  massa  ?  "  inquired  of  me  one  of 
them,  in  a  tone  of  voice  so  quick  and  decided  it 
seemed  as  if  my  everlasting  destiny  depended  on  the 
answer. 

"  Sugar,  massa  ?  "  he  said  again,  setting  the  bowl 
down  with  an  emphasis  which  made  every  separate 
lump  in  it  rattle. 

And  the  fury  of  the  waiters  seemed  to  set  on 
fire  the  guests ;  for,  as  fast  as  the  former  hurried  up 
the  cakes,  so  fast  the  latter  hurried  them  down.  The 
one,  as  they  ran  to  and  fro,  tumbled  over  each  other ; 
and  the  other  tumbled  no  less  facetiously  into  the 
hot  biscuits,  the  muffins,  and  the  scratch-backs.  The 
meal  presented  the  appearance  of  an  agony — yet 
short  in  duration,  all  over  in  fifteen  minutes. 

On  the  whole,  it  is  my  opinion  that  the  only 
tiling  on  this  river  worth  coming  a  thousand  miles  to 
see,  is  its  wild  woods.  The  traveller  through  these 
solitary  regions  is,  indeed,  alone  with  nature ;  for  if 
the  cotton  planter  cultivates  here  and  there  a  few 


136  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

broad  fields,  living  himself  in  a  small  white  mansion 
house,  surrounded  by  slave  cabins,  whitewashed  or 
brown  with  their  natural  logs ;  or  if  the  poor  white 
clears  up  a  rod  or  two  of  the  river  bank,  space 
enough  to  contain  a  couple  of  shanties  wherein  to 
lodge  wife  and  children,  a  cow,  a  pig,  and  a  donkey ; 
or  if,  on  some  bluff  a  few  feet  out  of  water,  there  are 
to  be  seen  a  half  dozen  smokes  rising  above  the  tops 
of  the  trees,  and  indicating  the  existence  of  what  is 
here  called,  by  courtesy,  a  town,  or  city,  still  these 
few  scattered  tokens  of  the  presence  of  man  do 
scarcely  more  than  render  the  solitude  of  nature  still 
more  impressive.  Man  is  here  a  new  comer,  and 
looks  almost  like  an  intruder.  Civilization  has 
wrought  on  these  rude  banks  none  of  her  great  tri 
umphs  ;  Time  has  left  none  of  his  consecrated,  crum 
bling  memorials ;  Art  has  raised  no  towers,  no  col 
umns,  no  spires.  The  cotton  bale  is  the  most  sig 
nificant  work  of  man's  genius ;  and,  excepting  the 
dilapidated  log  cabins  on  the  banks,  the  only  ruins 
washed  by  the  turbid  waters  of  this  great  river,  are 
the  broken  trees  and  driftwood  which  float  down  on 
its  surface.  But  the  wild,  semi-primitive  forest,  seen 
on  approaching  Mobile,  is,  indeed,  a  delight  to  the 
eyes.  What  a  perfect  wilderness  of  verdure  of 
every  different  shade,  with  the  white  and  purple  of 
the  stems  of  trees  intermingled,  it  is  !  How  light 


DOWN  THE  ALABAMA.  137 

and  delicate  the  green  in  the  oaks  and  cottonwoods, 
and  how  dark  in  the  magnolias  and  cypresses !  Even 
in  this  spring  season,  too,  when  every  leaf  is  tender, 
there  are  soft  hues  in  the  foliage  approaching  nigh 
to  browns  and  yellows ;  while  out  of  the  crowded 
thickets  many  a  shrub  hangs  its  early  flowers  of 
white,  or  pink,  or  blue. 

Moreover,  while  surveying  this  pleasing  scenery, 
the  traveller  enjoys  the  very  great  advantage  of 
being  on  board  a  boat  provided,  not,  indeed,  with  a 
band  of  music,  but  with  a  steam  piano.  This  the 
engineer  plays  upon  whenever  he  happens  to  be  in 
the  mood  musical.  Generally,  on  going  from  town, 
he  gives  a  merry  waltz ;  and  on  returning,  if  in  ad 
vance  of  his  rivals,  he  entertains  the  expectant  crowd 
on  the  wharf  with  a  far-sounding  march  of  triumph. 
Occasionally,  too.  he  will  turn  off  a  jig,  or  negro 
melody,  at  the  stopping  places  along  the  river,  just 
to  wake  up  Sambo,  and  tickle  the  heels  of  the  small 
negroes.  And  this  music  is  entirely  gratuitous,  no 
charge  being  made  for  it  in  your  bills,  nor  any  hat 
handed  around  after  it. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

Mobile. 

"  TT  is  pleasant  to  see  the  world  one  lives  in," 
JL  said  I  to  my  wife,  one  sunny  morning,  after 
having  breakfasted  at  the  Battle  House,  in  Mobile. 
The  meal,  indeed,  had  been  an  uncommonly  good  one 
— good  toast,  good  chops,  potatoes  shaved  thin,  done 
crisp.  Even  the  tea  was  not  bad,  taking  into  account 
that  it  was  Southern  tea ;  and  the  waiter  was  civil, 
remarkably  civil,  for  an  Irish  waiter  in  a  "  crack " 
hotel. 

But,  by  the  way,  can  anybody  tell  why,  in  a  coun 
try  so  full  of  good-looking  black  boys,  bom  expressly 
to  serve  tables,  and  needing  nothing  but  the  uniform 
of  a  white  jacket  to  make  the  ugliest  of  them  look 
respectable,  why  the  guests  in  so  many  public  houses 
in  this  part  of  the  Union  should  be  waited  upon  by 
unwashed  and  insolent  Irishmen  or  Germans  ?  The 
colored  waiter's  toilet  is  always  made — made  by  na- 


MOBILE.  139 

ture.  As  his  face  does  not  show  dirt,  it  is  to  be  pre 
sumed  that  it  is  always  washed.  His  hair  needs  no 
pomatum  ;  and,  dressed  at  birth,  no  barber  could 
possibly  improve  its  natural  frizzle.  The  Irish  head, 
on  the  contrary,  is  very  apt  to  look  like  a  haystack ; 
or,  if  greased,  is  sure  to  show  the  candle.  By  nature, 
Patrick's  face  is  unwashed,  and  no  amount  of  scrub 
bing  will  do  more  than  merely  polish  its  inherent 
tinge  of  uncleanliness.  His  elbows,  too,  are  always 
coming  through  his  coat ;  he  is  ever  outgrowing  his 
pantaloons  ;  and  do  \vhat  you  will,  put  him  in  plush 
and  gold  lace  even,  he  will  still  look  the  ditch  digger. 
However,  the  lad  James,  Avho  brought  up  my 
breakfast  that  morning,  was  certainly  an  exceptional 
Irishman.  He  was  tolerably  clean,  and  sufficiently 
instructed — a  very  proper,  well-behaved  lad,  who, 
during  my  residence  in  the  inn,  did  not  a  little  to 
preserve  unruffled  the  placidity  of  my  disposition, 
promoting  my  moral  as  well  as  physical  weU-being. 
And  think  how  annoying  to  a  guest  a  waiter  has  it  in 
his  power  to  be,  when  he  is  bent  on  sulking ;  when 
he  is  determined  to  do  nothing  as  it  ought  to  be 
done  ;  when  he  will  do  but  one  thing  at  a  time,  arid 
is  forever  in  doing  that ;  when  he  says  there  is  no 
more  of  this,  and  no  more  of  that  to  be  had ;  or — 
which  is  about  as  bad — when  he  sets  before  you  too 
muvh  of  everything. 


140  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

But  James,  this  morning,  by  a  happy  inspiration 
— and  your  Irishman  often  says  and  sometimes  does 
a  good  thing  by  inspiration — James  served  breakfast 
in  his  very  best  style.  He  seemed  pleased  himself 
with  the  way  in  which  he  did  it ;  as  much  so  as  he 
would  have  been  at  making  a  good  bull,  or  deliver 
ing  himself  of  something  uncommonly  dry  and  full 
of  brogue.  It  evidently  gave  him  a  silent,  stomachic 
satisfaction  to  see  me  enjoy  my  dishes ;  he  knowing 
as  well  as  I  did  that  there  was  no  indigestion,  no  dis 
temper  in  them.  And  so  it  happened  that  my  morn 
ing  meal  was  attended  with  only  pleasurable  sensa 
tions,  and  that  I  arose  from  it  prepared  to  do  any 
good  deed  that  needed  to  be  done — prepared  to  enter 
upon  any  course  of  rational  enjoyment  for  the  day 
which  might  present  itself.  Accordingly,  turning  to 
my  companion,  I  said,  "  It  is  pleasant,  my  dear,  to 
see  the  world  one  lives  in.  Let  us  go  to  Spring 
Hill." 

It  was  a  balmy  morning ;  and,  seating  myself  in 
the  carriage,  I  spoke  placidly  to  the  driver,  saying  : 

"  Now,  my  man,  take  your  own  time.  Slow  or 
fast,  'tis  all  the  same  to  me." 

Accordingly,  he  put  his  horse  on  that  moderate 
pace  which  best  suits  the  comfort  of  an  idle  man 
having  no  other  aim  than  simply  to  get  out  of  town 
into  the  open  country.  And  a  quiet,  pleasant  drive 


MOBILE.  141 

this  is  to  Spring  Hill.  On  either  side  of  the  way  are 
villas,  every  one  surrounded  with  its  pretty  yard  of 
flowers.  The  grounds  are  divided,  for  the  most  part, 
by  hedges,  made  by  throwing  the  turf  from  a  ditch 
upon  one  of  its  sides,  and  planting  the  embankment 
with  the  Cherokee  rose,  which,  being  of  rapid 
growth,  soon  forms  a  hedge  as  dense  as  it  is  beauti 
ful.  This  rose  runs  along  by  the  roadsides,  likewise, 
converting  walls  and  fences  into  thick  banks  of 
leaves  and  flowers.  It  climbs  to  the  tops  of  high 
trees,  hanging  its  festoons  among  the  branches,  or 
letting  them  droop  gracefully  to  the  ground.  In 
fact,  this  showy  wild  flower,  with  its  rive  white 
petals  and  centre  of  gold,  embedded  as  it  is  in  so 
many  brightly  shining  leaves  of  green,  gives  almost 
a  bridal  aspect  to  the  spring  landscape,  and  wellnigh 
makes  all  these  citizens'  boxes  look  like  homes  of  the 
poets. 

And  the  legend  of  the  Cherokee  rose  is  as  pretty 
as  the  flower  itself.  An  Indian  chief  of  the  Semi- 
nole  tribe — I  had  the  story  from  a  lady  in  Mobile,  as 
brilliant  in  mind  as  beautiful  in  person — taken  pris 
oner  of  war  by  his  enemies  the  Cherokees,  and 
doomed  to  torture,  fell  so  seriously  ill  that  it  became 
necessary  to  wait  for  his  restoration  to  health  before 
committing  him  to  the  fire.  And,  as  he  lay  pros 
trated  by  disease  in  the  cabin  of  the  Cherokee  war- 


142  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

rior,  the  daughter  of  the  latter,  a  young,  dark-faced 
maid,  was  his  nurse.  She  fell  in  love  with  the  young 
chieftain,  and,  wishing  to  save  his  life,  urged  him  to 
escape ;  but  he  would  not  do  so  unless  she  would  flee 
with  him.  She  consented.  Yet,  before  they  had 
gone  far,  impelled  by  soft  regret  at  leaving  her  home, 
she  asked  leave  of  her  lover  to  return,  for  the  pur 
pose  of  bearing  away  some  memento  of  it.  So,  re 
tracing  her  footsteps,  she  broke  a  sprig  of  the  white 
rose  which  was  climbing  up  the  poles  of  her  father's 
tent,  and,  preserving  it  during  her  flight  through  the 
wilderness,  planted  it  by  the  door  of  her  new  home 
among  the  Seminoles.  And  from  that  day  this  beau 
tiful  flower  has  always  been  known,  between  the 
capes  of  Florida  and  throughout  the  Southern  States, 
by  the  name  of  the  Cherokee  rose. 

The  most  striking  feature  of  the  landscape  seen 
on  this  road  to  Spring  Hill,  is  its  lofty  and  wide- 
spreading  liveoaks.  They  make  a  pleasant  contrast 
with  the  pines,  which  stand  thickly  clustered  to 
gether,  and  have  tall,  straight,  tapering  stems,  and 
crowns  tufted  with  needles.  In  passing  through  the 
groves  composed  of  these  latter  trees,  so  full  of  sap 
in  this  warm  climate,  one  scents  at  a  considerable 
distance  the  pleasantly  aromatic  perfume.  The  pine 
loves  the  sand  ;  and  there  is  no  lack  of  it  here.  In 
deed,  since  leaving  Wilmington,  I  have  visited  no 


MOBILE.  143 

town  so  softly  pillowed  upon  the  sands  as  is  Mobile. 
The  Cape  Codder  who,  in  passing  along  this  road, 
sees  his  carriage  wheels  sinking  into  the  yielding 
material,  may  very  likely  feel  a  pang  of  regret,  be 
lieving  himself,  for  the  moment,  transported  out  of 
this  Southern  paradise  back  to  his  native  sea  beaches. 
The  whole  of  the  road,  however,  is  not  so  heavy,  the 
greater  portion  of  it  having  been  made  hard  with 
shells. 

But  sand  makes  pure  air ;  and  on  arriving  in 
Mobile,  more  particularly  if  he  come  from  the  mud 
of  New  Orleans,  the  traveller  exclaims,  "  How 
sweet-scented  is  this  city !  "  Accordingly,  in  pass 
ing  along  this  road  to  Spring  Hill,  as  I  came  in  sight 
of  some  pretty  little  villa,  peeping  out  of  its  shrub 
bery,  with  rows  of  orange  and  lime  trees,  of  mock 
orange  and  pitosporum,  of  crape  myrtles  and  jessa 
mines  from  Mexico,  the  thought  came  forcibly  to  my 
mind,  What  a  pity  it  is  that  the  Northern  invalids, 
so  many  of  whom  I  have  met  in  the  course  of  my 
journey,  hurrying  from  one  uncomfortable,  ill-pro 
vided  hotel  to  another,  exposed  to  frequent  and  sharp 
transitions  of  weather,  and  suffering  from  the  incon 
tinences  of  crowded  cars  and  dirty  steamboats, 
what  a  pity  that,  instead  of  pursuing  health  over 
every  broken  road  between  Maine  and  Florida,  they 
could  not  so  far  overcome  the  natural  restlessness  of 


144  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS, 

the  American  character,  and  their  own  fidgety  love 
of  change  and  travel,  as  to  sit  down  contentedly  for 
a  half  or  a  quarter  of  the  year,  in  one  of  these  sub 
urban  cottages ! 

Make  your  home,  poor,  feverish  man,  in  some  of 
these  bowers  of  flowers.  Here  you  can  be  con 
stantly  in  the  open  air.  The  noon  is  not  too  hot  for 
a  walk  in  the  shade  ;  nor  are  morning  and  evening 
too  cool  for  a  ride  on  horseback.  The  sands  are  dry 
under  your  feet.  The  exhilarating  air  from  the  gulf 
blows  softly  in  at  open  windows,  bringing  with  it 
the  pleasant  odors  of  the  roses  which  climb  up  the 
lattice,  or  of  the  honeysuckles  that  hang  from  the 
piazza  eaves.  When  the  sun  is  hot,  the  cypress  casts 
for  you  its  dark  shadoAvs,  and  the  liveoak  spreads  an 
ample  shade.  Here  come  with  your  box  of  books. 
There  is  a  piano  in  the  parlor  for  the  young  ladies ; 
and  the  guitar  case  makes  but  one  piece  more  of  the 
luggage.  Or  is  it  the  fair  girl  herself  who  is  strick 
en  ?  Then  let  her  come  here  and  tend  the  flowers. 
Let  her  tie  up  these  scarlet  lilies  ;  repress  the  luxuri 
ance  of  the  straying  verbenas  ;  pluck  nosegays  of  the 
sweet-scented  violets  for  her  bosom  ;  and  wear  these 
blush  roses  in  her  hair.  If  she  must  die  away  from 
her  home,  what  land  can  be  less  strange  to  her  than 
this  ?  And  there  will  be  plenty  of  half-opened  buds 
in  the  garden  wherewith  to  deck  her  shroud  and 
strew  her  crrave. 


MOBILE.  145 

Alas !  however,  that  in  late  summer  and  early 
autumn  this  Spring  Hill,  now  so  green  with  the 
newly  unfolded  leaves,  and  so  gay  with  every  kind 
of  flowers,  should  not  escape  the  ravages  of  that 
dreadful  fever  which  annually  scourges  the  towns 
situated  along  the  shores  of  the  gulf.  One  would 
suppose  the  air  too  pure  to  admit  of  the  coming  of 
that  dire  epidemic  ;  but  it  is  not  so.  The  inhabitant 
of  the  suburban  villa  is  not  sheltered  from  the  dart 
which  strikes  down  the  dweller  in  the  crowded  and 
less  cleanly  town.  Indeed,  the  approach  of  the  fatal 
fever  is  always  heralded  by  the  prevalence  of  unu 
sually  fine  weather.  When  the  winds  are  compara 
tively  still,  when  the  air  is  clear  and  balmy,  and 
every  one  is  saying  to  himself,  How  charming  are 
these  days  !  and  the  nights,  moonlit  or  starry,  are  so 
full  of  light — then  it  is  that  the  destroyer  is  at  the 
door.  The  extraordinary  brilliancy  of  the  firmament 
is  but  the  light  reflected  from  the  wings  of  the 
angel  commissioned  by  Heaven  to  scatter  pestilence 
throughout  the  abodes  of  the  children  of  men.  The 
fine  weather  feeds  fever  until  the  frost  kills  it. 

But,  in  the  springtime,  nobody  thinks  of  the  pes 
tilence  of  the  autumn.  Much  as  ever  are  the  last 
year's  dead  remembered  in  a  region  of  country  annu 
ally  rejuvenated  by  a  new  invasion  of  strangers  from 
the  higher  latitudes.  One  lives  here  in  the  present 
V 


146  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

moment  as  it  flies,  and  pulls  the  roses  while  they 
blow.  The  past  seems  almost  to  fade  out  of  the 
memory  as  quickly  as  the  color  every  evening  fades 
out  of  the  sky  at  sunset.  Perhaps  it  is  because,  in 
these  climes  nearer  to  the  sun,  the  day  is  so  full  of 
delights,  being  ever  fresh  with  early  dew,  and  warm 
with  the  rays  of  noon,  and  cool  with  the  evening 
breeze.  The  heart,  seduced  by  nature's  bounty  and 
unceasing  goodness  to  share  her  sympathy,  and  enter 
into  her  joys,  soon  forgets  its  own  sorrow.  The  men 
of  business,  too,  lose  themselves  in  present  and  press 
ing  affairs  in  these  trading  towns,  as  Mobile  and  New 
Orleans,  even  more  than  elsewhere.  While  the  sea 
son  for  business  lasts,  they  work  diligently  in  their 
vocation,  striving  every  day  to  add  as  many  dollars 
as  possible  to  that  heap  of  gold  which  is  to  be  their 
fortune.  But  once  this  raised  to  the  necessary  eleva 
tion,  they  set  off  to  enjoy  it  in  their  native  North. 
Hence  the  feeling  of  home  attachment  is  very  feeble 
in  these  communities,  where  men  reside  but  half  a 
year,  and  for  half  a  life.  Hence  all  great  public  im 
provements  are  made  slowly,  and  with  difficulty. 
The  ties  of  family  are  more  easily  severed,  and  the 
condition  of  life  is  less  favorable  to  good  morals. 

Spring  Hill  is,  of  course,  a  hill — a  slight  natural 
elevation  on  these  sandy  shores  and  level  plains  of 
woods.  From  its  summit,  looking  over  an  inter- 


MOBILE.  147 

vening  distance  of  green  tops  of  trees,  one  sees  the 
city  of  Mobile  ;  and,  beyond,  Lake  Pontchartrain. 
Getting  out  of  his  carriage,  he  strolls  for  a  few  min 
utes  in  the  pleasant  shade,  and  breathes  the  hilltop 
air,  pure  from  all  odors  unless  it  be  that  of  flowers. 
Returning  through  the  little  cluster  of  villas  called 
Somerville,  he  again  descends  from  his  carriage  ;  for 
who  could  pass  these  magnificent  liveoaks,  these 
lofty  pines,  with  bark  of  purple  and  foliage  so  deeply 
green,  and  these  poplars  growing  as  vigorously  here 
as  in  their  native  Lombardy,  without  lingering  to 
admire  the  luxuriant  display  of  vegetation  ?  He 
wishes  also  to  inspect  more  closely  the  roses  of  the 
Cloth  of  Gold,  and  the  white  Lamarques.  The  Mal- 
raaison,  too,  is  so  delicately  tinted,  and  its  petals  are 
so  gracefully  folded,  that  the  lover  of  flowers  is 
never  tired  of  looking  at  it.  How  efful  gently  the 
Giant  of  Battles  glows,  spotting  the  surrounding 
green  with  crimson !  And  here  the  Lady  Bank 
climbs  the  China  trees,  adding  its  yellow  to  their 
blue.  How  sweetly  sleeps  the  sunlight  of  the  noon 
on  these  beds  of  flowers !  reposing  on  rose  leaves ; 
lying  hid  in  the  cups  of  the  lilies ;  basking  on  the 
crimson  carpet  of  the  verbenas ;  poised  on  the  out 
spread  calyxes  of  the  pinks  ;  and  cradled  in  the  large 
blossoms  of  the  magnolias,  which  on  the  tops  of  the 
trees  arc  gently  swinging  in  the  wind. 


148  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

I  could  have  spent  the  whole  morning  in  these 
lanes  and  gardens  ;  but,  the  morning  being  already 
gone,  I  returned  to  town. 

Nor  is  the  drive  along  the  shore  of  the  bay 
scarcely  less  pleasant.  Take  it  on  a  warm  day, 
when,  as  you  go,  you  will  be  fanned  by  the  sea 
breeze,  freshly  blowing  from  gulf  and  lake.  The 
Mobilites  drive  over  this  shore  road  to  cool  their 
blood,  to  dry  the  locks  moistened  by  perspiration, 
and  to  relax  the  mind  overwearied  by  affairs.  I 
selected,  however,  for  this  excursion,  a  very  idle, 
dreamy  morning,  when  the  sun,  sluggishly  mounting 
the  hazy  zenith,  seemed  almost  too  lazy  to  shine. 
The  lake,  along  the  shore  of  which  the  road  winds, 
lay  in  a  slumber  too  profound  to  be  interrupted  by 
the  faint  ripples  which  came  softly  creeping  up  from 
the  direction  of  the  sea  beyond.  With  carriage  top 
thrown  back,  and  myself  reclining  indolently  upon 
the  cushions,  I  was  borne  slowly  along  this  winding 
way ;  the  horses  going  at  their  own  gait,  and  the 
driver's  whip  dangling  idly  from  its  socket.  With  a 
temperature  just  soft  enough,  and  a  breeze  which 
barely  kept  me  company,  and  the  sun's  rays  shorn  by 
the  gathered  vapors  of  their  glare,  the  luxury  of  this 
driving  was  almost  as  great  as  of  sailing  in  a  gondola 
upon  the  canals  of  Venice.  As  I  passed  along  the 
road,  the  gardener  was  listlessly  trimming  his  flow- 


MOBILE.  149 

ers  ;  the  farmer  stopped  work  to  see  the  stranger  go 
by ;  the  negro  stood  leaning  against  the  side  of  the 
house,  with  both  hands  in  his  pockets  ;  and,  before 
the  hour  of  noon,  the  laborers  who  had  been  em 
ployed  in  covering  the  road  with  shells  had  knocked 
off  work,  and,  sitting  on  logs  beneath  the  trees,  were 
peacefully  eating  their  dinner.  And  so  I  jogged  on 
for  half  a  dozen  miles  between  the  farms  and  villas, 
through  groves  of  pines,  and  oaks,  and  magnolias. 
The  Cherokee  rose  followed  me  on  the  hedges,  and 
the  white  flowering  blackberry  crept  after  along  the 
roadsides.  Were  not  the  tall  magnolia  trees,  with  all 
their  dark,  glossy  leaves,  and  white  buds  ready  to 
burst,  made  beautiful  enough  by  nature,  that  she 
needed  also  to  hang  them  with  the  grace  of  the  wild 
grapevines  ?  Nor  were  the  pitch-yielding  pines  fair 
enough  to  the  sight,  with  their  purple  bark  and  nee 
dles  of  green,  that  they  must  be  climbed  by  such 
pretty  parasites  ?  How  lovely  are  the  flowers  of  this 
tulip  tree  !  The  branches,  so  profusely  decked  by 
them,  overhang  the  road,  and  can  almost  be  reached 
by  the  hand.  I  stop  the  carriage,  and,  climbing  the 
fence  which  skirts  the  way,  break  off  an  inviting 
bough.  The  flowers  are  green  externally,  having 
spots  of  orange  and  a  delicate  shade  of  yellow 
within.  In  shape  they  resemble  the  cup  of  the 
white  water-lily.  But  they  have  no  fragrance. 


150  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS, 

And  now,  passed  the  magnolia  grove  and  the 
Magnolia  race  course,  we  turn  the  horses'  heads 
about — not,  however,  changing  their  pace.  Then,  in 
the  depths  of  the  forest,  I  saw  Morpheus  just  lying 
down  to  take  his  siesta,  and  was  almost  tempted  to 
ask  him  to  join  our  company :  for  the  carriage  was 
an  easy  one,  the  shell  road  smooth,  and  the  horses' 
hoofs  beat  the  ground  with  a  regular,  monotonous 
cadence.  The  coachman  on  his  box,  I  am  sure,  had 
but  one  eye  open,  the  other  having  the  night  before 
been  bunged.  It  being  now  the  height  of  noon,  the 
small  birds  merely  whispered  to  each  other  in  the 
trees ;  there  was  not  even  the  lowest  murmuring  of 
waves  on  the  shore ;  and  the  cocks  of  the  barnyards, 
if  wide  awake  enough  to  crow,  still  did  it  drawl- 
ingly,  and  with  a  tone  of  voice  inducing  sleep  rather 
than  disturbing  it.  Such  days  as  these  it  is,  said  I, 
that  make  the  idlers  of  the  South  ;  something  in  the 
very  atmosphere  inviting  a  man  to  sit  down  to  smoke 
his  cigar  and  waste  the  time.  They  favor  lounging, 
loafing.  Under  such  influences  from  the  skies,  the 
ladies,  instead  of  walking,  loll  in  carriages ;  and  the 
gentlemen  cannot  sit  upright  in  their  chairs,  but  must 
recline  with  heels  higher  than  head,  thereby  acquir 
ing  the  stoop  of  the  counting  house  as  effectually  as 
from  leaning  over  the  legers. 

On  my  return  to  town,  the  very  streets  seemed  to 


MOBILE. 


151 


be  struck  Avith  a  certain  degree  of  stupor.  There 
was  no  stir  in  them.  Men  were  walking  slowly  up 
and  down,  or  were  lounging  at  the  shop  and  hotel 
doors,  all  looking  as  though  their  work  were  done 
for  the  season. 

"  Bather  sleepy  here  to-day,"  said  I  to  the  land 
lord. 

"  Yes,"  he  replied ;  "  we  are  apt  to  have  dull 
weather  at  this  time.  Business  slackens  now  that 
the  cotton  is  all  down ;  and  people  are  beginning  to 
leave  for  the  North," 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

The    Lower    Mississippi. 

TIE  weather,  after  my  departure  from  Mobile, 
became  warmer,  and,  in  fact,  perfectly  tropical. 
Sunshine  perpetual,  or  effulgent  moonlight,  accompa 
nied  me  all  the  way  across  the  azure  gulf;  but  on  the 
bar  of  the  Mississippi  a  fog  came  out  of  the  north, 
with  rain,  and  wind,  and  cold,  and  thunder  and  light 
ning.  Climate  and  clothing,  I  made  a  change  of  both 
on  this  bar.  I  was  let  down  out  of  heaven  and  stuck 
in  the  mud  in  one  and  the  same  moment.  During 
the  voyage,  our  steamer  had  managed  to  attain  a 
speed  of  eight  knots  the  hour ;  but  here,  with  her 
keel  three  feet  deep  in  the  sand  and  slime  of  the 
river,  she  made  only  about  eight  inches.  How,  for 
half  a  day,  her  paddles  made  the  yellow  porridge  of 
the  Mississippi  boil !  The  wonder  was  that  she  got 
through  into  deep  water  even  at  the  end  of  that 


THE  LOWER  MISSISSIPPI.  153 

time.     Doubtless  there  was  a  snail  at  her  stern  help 
ing  her. 

Charming  sight  it  was  to  look  upon  the  banks  of 
black  mud,  barely  rising  above  the  level  of  the 
waters,  and  somewhat  resembling  huge  leviathans 
lying  at  anchor,  or  alligators  asleep  on  the  surface  ! 
It  would  have  reminded  one  who  had  been  a  passen 
ger  in  Noah's  ark,  of  the  appearance  of  the  world 
the  morning  after  the  Deluge.  Only,  instead  of 
doves  bringing  olive  branches,  there  was  but  the 
flight  of  a  few  lazy  sea  gulls.  Gradually,  however, 
this  primeval  aspect  of  things  gave  place  to  that  of 
the  dry  and  solid  earth.  From  mud  islands,  we  came 
to  others  covered  with  reeds  and  rushes.  Next  suc 
ceeded  the  wild  grasses.  Blackbirds  and  buzzards 
shared  the  sky  with  the  sea  gulls.  Then  appeared 
the  mammalia,  wild  hogs,  half-tamed  horses,  cows 
browsing  in  pastures  which  lay  a  foot  deep  under 
water,  and,  finally,  man — that  is  to  say,  the  fisher 
man,  living  in  a  hut  built  on  piles.  Here,  also,  dwelt 
the  lighthouse  keeper,  and,  strange  to  say,  the 
worker  of  the  telegraph.  The  quarantine  ground — 
I  might  almost  say  water — came  into  view  a  little 
later,  being  wellnigh  submerged,  and  looking  like  a 
pet  nursery  of  fever  and  pestilence.  I  was  strongly 
tempted  to  inquire  of  the  doctor  respecting  the 
health  of  his  own  family,  and  express  an  affectionate 
7* 


154  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

hope  that  he  himself  had  not  an  ague ;  for  the  man. 
was  thin  in  the  cheeks,  and  sallow,  and,  in  fact, 
looked  quite  ashamed  of  performing  the  duty  of 
feeling  anybody's  pulse  on  board  the  steamer.  I  also 
wished  to  congratulate  him  on  his  boat ;  as,  in  case 
the  river  should  rise  still  a  little  higher,  it  might  be 
the  saving  of  himself  and  his  household. 

Every  inhabitant  of  this  part  of  the  river,  I  after 
ward  observed,  was  the  owner  of  a  similar  boat, 
which  he  used  for  rowing  himself  about  his  small 
estate,  and  fishing  for  snappers  in  his  fields,  when  the 
water  was  too  deep  to  dig  potatoes.  The  dwellings 
all  had  the  appearance  of  being  bath  houses ;  built, 
in  the  lower  part  of  the  river,  of  logs,  and  thatched  ; 
higher  up  the  stream,  shingled;  and,  higher  still, 
slated.  But  near  the  mouth,  I  could  hardly  have  be 
lieved  it  a  Christian  land  we  were  entering,  had  we 
not  pretty  soon  come  to  a  fort.  This  was  an  unmis 
takable  evidence  of  civilization ;  and  the  extensive 
orange  plantations,  which  afterward  began  to  peep 
out  of  the  primeval  forests  skirting  the  river  side, 
still  more  favored  the  idea  that  we  were  entering  the 
gates  of  a  great  country. 

The  quantity  of  driftwood  in  the  stream  was  an 
indication,  to  be  sure,  of  interminable  forests  higher 
up  on  its  banks ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  the  numer 
ous  floating  casks,  barrels,  and  bottles,  proved  that 


THE  LOWER  MISSISSIPPI.  155 

we  were  approaching  some  large  emporium  of  com 
merce.  Might  it  not  also  be  the  seat  of  a  prodigal 
luxury,  a  city  flowing  not  only  with  milk  and  honey, 
but  with  ready-made  cobblers  and  cocktails  ?  For 
the  yellow,  foaming  river  really  seemed  to  be  run 
ning  with  egg-nogg — and  it  certainly  did  not  run 
straight. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

N~e  w    Orle  a  n  s . 

THE  first  thing  I  saw,  on  tlio  morning  of  my 
arrival  in  New  Orleans,  was  the  quays ;  and 
the  second  was  the  cotton  on  them.  Acres  upon 
acres,  indeed,  of  cotton  bales  and  sugar  boxes  I  saw 
on  the  quays ;  and,  on  the  river,  broad  forests  of 
masts  and  steamers'  smoke  pipes,  the  steamers  being 
piled  five  stories  high,  the  smoke  pipes  projecting 
into  midheavcn,  and  the  whole  structure,  in  fact, 
carried  to  such  an  altitude,  that,  when  there  is  an 
explosion,  one  can  hardly  be  said  to  be  blown  up, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  blown  down.  Yet  I  did  not 
fully  realize  the  fact  of  being  in  the  Crescent  City 
and  emporium  of  the  Southwest,  until  the  waiter  at 
the  hotel  brought  me  a  pitcher  of  water  for  shaving. 
This  made  it  as  clear  as  mud  that  I  had  reached  the 
celebrated  and  turbid  Mississippi.  The  natives  pre 
tend  that  this  river  water,  when  properly  filtered,  is 


NEW  ORLEANS.  157 

the  third  best  drinking  water  in  the  world.  I  sus 
pect,  however,  that  if  a  person  will  use  water  rather 
than  the  other  beverages  in  more  general  favor  here, 
that  which  falls  from  the  skies,  and  is  preserved  in 
tanks  above  ground,  is  preferable.  The  bath,  cer 
tainly,  noAvhcre  looks  less  inviting  than  in  this  city. 
One's  linen  must  be  washed  in  it,  as  the  laundress 
cannot  use  a  more  expensive  liquid  ;  though,  if  lager 
beer  could  be  obtained  at  a  little  lower  price,  it 
might  be  questioned  whether  the  clothes  would  not 
come  out  of  it  looking  whiter. 

The  impression  which  the  stranger  is  likely  to 
get  of  life  in  New  Orleans,  is,  that  it  is  sufficiently 
bizarre.  In  no  other  large  American  city  does  it 
seem  so  full  of  incongruities  and  irreconcilable  con 
trasts.  Here  are  half  a  dozen  different  races,  and 
half  a  dozen  different  colors  of  the  skin.  In  one 
quarter  of  the  town  live  the  Americans ;  in  the 
other,  the  French  Creoles.  The  latter  keep  them 
selves,  in  fact,  so  distinct  from  the  former,  that  some 
of  them  are  said  never  to  pass  the  division  line  of 
Canal  street.  In  ballrooms,  too,  the  Creole  ladies — 
and  lovely  creatures  they  are,  French  in  dress,  man 
ners,  and  ideas,  and  pleasantly  transitional  between 
the  women  of  the  tropics  and  those  of  the  States — 
retain  a  portion  of  the  floor  exclusively  for  them 
selves  ;  though  always  happy,  I  am  told,  to  receive 


158  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

the  visits  of  the  American  gentlemen  from  the  other 
side  of  the  hall ;  and  even  giving  them  a  preference 
over  the  beaux  of  their  own  caste,  the  greater  part 
of  whom  distinguish  themselves  rather  in  dancing, 
smoking,  drinking,  and  playing  billiards,  than  in  more 
manly  accomplishments  and  occupations.  Among 
the  quadroons  I  saw  less  beauty  than  corresponds 
with  the  reports  of  travellers ;  while  the  lower  class 
of  the  French  part  of  the  population  surprised  me 
by  the  roughness  and  almost  insolence  of  its  man 
ners.  Many  fine,  manly  forms  may  be  noticed  among 
the  merchants  at  the  Exchange,  and  other  principal 
centres  of  business ;  but  the  general  type  of  face  is 
rather  coarse  than  refined,  more  fin-rowed  and  knit 
with  cares  than  expanded  with  generous  sentiments. 

Dust,  or  mud,  abound  everywhere  in  this  city. 
It  does  not  always  rain ;  but  the  sun  cannot  burn 
out  the  stains  of  mould  and  damp  on  the  older  house 
walls.  The  buildings,  excepting  those  recently  erect 
ed,  look  dingy.  One-story  tenements  stand  by  the 
side  of  lofty  warehouses,  no  law  of  harmony  prevail 
ing  ;  so  that  it  takes  all  the  finery  of  the  shop  win 
dows,  the  painted  names,  and  the  glittering  sign 
boards,  to  make  even  the  most  crowded  streets  a 
little  picturesque.  On  these  boards  the  names  are 
written  in  different  languages,  arid  you  constantly 
overhear,  on  the  promenades,  various  foreign  ac- 


NEW  ORLEANS.  159 

cents.  In  the  principal  cathedral  the  service  is  read 
in  French ;  you  buy  fruit  at  stalls  kept  by  Spaniards ; 
the  German  at  the  market  place  spreads  out  his 
wares  in  a  booth ;  the  Jew  offers  to  pell  you  cigars 
at  half  the  street  corners ;  and,  in  some  quarters  of 
the  town,  you  can  have  a  Chinese  for  a  bootblack. 

There  is  style  and  dash  enough  here,  but  little 
completeness  of  design  or  harmony  of  effects.  In 
all  the  streets  most  marked  contrasts  abound.  One 
meets  coaches  washed  with  gaudy  and  superfluous 
silver,  but  the  coachman  not  washed  at  all.  You 
pass  over  pavements  lying  deep  in  mud,  and  along 
sidewalks  lined  with  gutters  either  stagnant,  or 
creeping  only  by  the  aid  of  machinery ;  and  yet  you 
meet  ladies  taking  their  morning  walks  in  ermine, 
and  ball  dresses.  The  promenade  of  the  most  fash 
ionable  streets  is  almost  as  much  encumbered  with 
boxes  of  merchandise  as  in  New  York  are  the  trot- 
toirs  of  Dey  street.  The  corners,  too,  are  beset  with 
gents,  loafers,  orange  women,  and  venders  of  roasted 
chestnuts — the  latter  not  bad.  But  nowhere  in  all 
its  course  does  the  American  sun  behold  so  high- 
colored  muslins,  such  flaunting  silks  and  roseate  rib 
bons.  New  York  has  no  show  of  millinery  to  com 
pare  with  it.  Such  nosegays  of  hats,  such  cobwebs 
of  laces,  such  loves  of  fans,  such  shawls,  such  bro 
cades,  such  tissues !  They  make  this  city  a  perfect 


100  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

little  heaven  for  all  the  wives  and  daughters  of  Lou 
isiana,  Mississippi,  and  Arkansas.  And  of  this  heav 
en  the  queen  is,  or  was,  Madame  Olympe.  Every 
box  she  orders  from  Paris  produces,  when  opened, 
the  effect  of  another  Pandora's,  turning  half  the 
ladies'  heads  in  the  Mississippi  country,  and  empty 
ing  all  their  purses.  This,  to  "be  sure,  is  saying  a 
good  deal ;  for  when  the  cotton  or  sugar  planter 
brings  down  his  wife  and  daughters  to  this  metropo 
lis,  he  means  they  shall  have  a  good  time,  and  fur 
nishes  them  with  money  enough  to  buy  all  the  milli 
nery  they  can  stand  under. 

The  Englishman  who,  having  come  over  in  a 
Cunarder,  takes  lodgings  at  the  St.  Nicholas  Hotel 
in  New  York,  pronounces  its  drawing  rooms  stun- 
nm\  But  as  much  more  magnificent  as  was  its 
bridal  chamber  than  its  bedrooms  in  the  fifth  story, 
so  much  does  the  one  parlor  of  the  St.  Charles  in 
New  Orleans  exceed  in  splendor  the  whole  suite  of 
showrooms  of  the  New  York  caravansary.  For, 
when  all  the  cotton  widows  and  cotton  girls  have 
bought  their  new  dresses  in  Canal  or  Chartres  street, 
they  display  them  at  once  in  the  St.  Charles  parlor. 
Every  chair  and  sofa  is  set  out  with  the  new  silks 
and  satins.  You  hear  it  whispered  about,  that  the 
dress  of  white  point  lace  worn  by  the  young  belle 
standing  before  you  cost  papa  two  thousand  dollars  ; 


NEW  ORLEANS.  161 

and  that  the  lady  by  her  side,  from  Red  River, 
flames  with  twenty  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  jew 
elry.  Yonder  miss  has  hidden  herself  in  the  corner, 
because,  for  the  embroidered  muslin  she  has  on, 
Madame  Olympe  did  not  charge  but  two  hundred 
dollars.  The  Mississippi  widow,  bent  on  making  a 
sensation,  will  not  come  down  to  the  breakfast  table 
in  anything  short  of  diamond  brooches,  and  lace 
from  the  high  altar ;  while  even  then  the  dowager 
from  Baton  Rouge  wins  the  general  stare  from  her 
by  planting  herself  vis-a-vis  in  pearls,  and  supple 
mentary  puffs  made  by  the  barber. 

But  in  order  to  carry  out  the  contrasts  of  this 
Southwestern  life,  by  the  side  of  the  fair  women 
decked  in  all  this  finery  you  may,  perhaps,  see  sitting 
the  captain  of  a  river  steamboat,  or  even  his  purser. 
Indeed,  a  considerable  number  of  the  gentlemen  in 
attendance  on  these  gorgeous  belles  have  the  look  of 
men  who  might  once  have  been  head  waiters,  or,  at 
least,  have  carried  from  town  to  town  their  bag  of 
samples.  Every  one  of  them  wears  an  enormous 
diamond  pin  stuck  in  his  shirt  bosom  ;  and  some  have 
either  Niagara  Falls,  or  the  course  of  the  Missis 
sippi,  or  all  the  cards  in  the  pack,  pictured  in  the 
stripes  of  their  pantaloons.  They  are  of  that  class 
of  men  who,  at  home,  if  they  cannot  make  them 
selves  famous  in  any  other  way,  will  drive  a  team  of 


162  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE   TROPIC 8. 

elks  tandem  •  and  take  their  wives  to  the  ball  in 
furniture  wagons,  in  order  to  give  them  room  to 
spread  themselves. 

But  perhaps  the  most  striking  instance  of  the  in 
congruities  of  Southwestern  life  may  be  seen  at  the 
hotel  tables.  You  pay  three  dollars  per  day  for 
drinking  your  coffee  out  of  china  embellished  with 
th'e  head  of  General  Cass,  or  of  some  similar  wor 
thy,  who  has  made  himself  a  great  name  at  Wash 
ington.  And  this  cup  is  brought  to  you,  not  by  a 
good-looking  Sambo  with  white  teeth,  eyes,  and 
apron,  but  by  some  rude,  ungainly  German  or  Irish 
man,  who  tells  you  that  there  are  no  fried  oysters, 
that  the  plantains  are  gone,  the  French  rolls  gone, 
and,  bringing  two  fins  on  a  plate,  informs  you  that 
it  is  the  last  of  the  red  snappers. 

"  I  hope  I  am  not  too  late  for  tea,  Patrick  ?  " 
"  Yes,  you  are.     No  tea  after  eight  o'clock,  sir." 
"  Bridget,  send  me  the  chambermaid." 
"  The   chambermaid   is  off  duty,  ma'am,  at   six 
o'clock." 

"  But  are  you  not  a  chambermaid  ?  " 
"No,  ma'am;    I'm  higher.     There  is  a  girl  on 
watch — only  she  has  gone  to  tea ;  she  will  be  hack 
in  an  hour.     You  can  call  her." 

The  mistake  you  made  consisted  in  taking  a  wait 
ing  for  a  chamber  maid,  though  in  a  most  untidy 
dress  arid  soiled  satin  slippers. 


NEW  ORLEANS.  163 

However,  you  can  breakfast  very  well  on  stewed 
redfish,  whenever  you  can  get  it ;  and  you  can  dine 
very  well  off  roasted  turkey,  fed  on  peanuts,  when 
you  can  get  that.  But  the  epicure  should  come  to 
New  Orleans  in  the  crab  season,  and  enjoy  this  deli 
cacy  done  in  rice  and  curry  a  la  Creole. 

If  the  time  of  crabs  be  not  fully  come,  let  him 
rather  wait  a  month  or  two  before  making  his  visit ; 
and,  indeed,  in  case  they  are  lean  in  any  particular 
year,  let  him  not  come  at  all.  He  must  not  expect 
to  eat  green  peas  in  March ;  but  will  be  lucky  even 
to  get  salad.  It  is  not  for  early  greens,  or  any  such 
delicacies,  that  he  pays  his  twenty-one  dollars  per 
week,  but  because  the  hotel  has  been  built  at  an 
expense  of  a  million,  one  quarter  of  it  laid  out  on  a 
portico  with  tall  Grecian  pillars,  as  if  the  edifice 
were  a  temple,  not  a  tavern. 

For  the  rest,  this  seems  to  be  a  city  of  bar  and 
billiard  rooms,  of  bowling  and  pistol  alleys.  Bar, 
billiards,  and  bowling  are  the  three  Bs  of  New 
Orleans.  There  is  no  room  in  the  hotel  so  large  as 
that  wherein  the  liquor  is  dispensed.  It  being  also 
an  auction  room,  handbills  of  the  sales  lie  about  the 
house,  and  on  all  the  public  tables,  those  of  the  par 
lor  not  cxcepted.  You  can  look  on  scarcely  any 
street  wall  without  being  informed  that,  in  the  bar 
room  of  such  a  hotel,  there  will  be,  on  such  a  day, 


164  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

at  such  an  hour,  a  sale  of  negroes,  or  other  merchan 
dise.  The  hammers  of  the  auctioneers  make  as 
much  noise  here  as  do  the  fighting  cocks  in  Cuba. 

But,  to  escape  this  clatter,  you  can  take  a  drive  to 
the  southern  part  of  the  city,  which  is  made  beauti 
ful  by  flowers.  It  is  the  garden  of  the  town.  Here 
every  house  is  built  in  an  enclosure  well  filled  with 
ornamental  shrubs  and  trees,  which,  during  the 
spring  season,  are  fresh  with  green  leaves  and  fair 
with  blossoms.  From  the  liveoak  hung  with  moss, 
to  the  blue  violet  which  scents  the  air,  all  the  forms 
of  vegetation  are  full  of  sap  and  vigor.  The  flower 
ing  trees  are  of  many  colors — white,  blue,  yellow, 
purple,  crimson.  The  roses  grow  on  tall  stems,  or 
climb  to  the  roofs  of  the  houses.  The  Avails  and  trel 
lises  are  covered  with  the  blushes  of  these  most 
lovely  of  flowers  ;  or  they  are  straw-colored ;  or  they 
peep  out  of  the  green  leaves  in  spotted  white.  And 
in  the  midst  of  them  stands  the  solemn,  graceful 
cypress,  making  strong  contrast  with  oleanders  and 
pitosporums.  How  gracefully  the  locust  hangs  out 
its  tassels  in  the  air  ;  the  orange  trees  glow  with  the 
yellow  of  our  sweet  maples  in  autumn ;  the  Chinese 
viburnums  are  only  less  fair  in  their  dress  of  green 
and  white ;  while  the  mocking  birds  in  cages  mock 
the  wild  birds  which  sing  to  their  young  in  the  tall 
laurel  trees. 


NEW  ORLEANS.  165 

This  is  the  bright  side  ol  the  town ;  and  the 
stranger  should  appropriate  a  sunny  day  to  seeing  it. 
Unfortunately,  there  are  not  so  many  such  in  the 
New  Orleans  spring  as  one  might  suppose  from  the 
reports  of  the  local  journalists,  who  seem  to  form  an 
Admiration  Society  for  the  purpose  of  glorifying  the 
city  and  its  climate.  The  beauty  of  every  bright, 
genial  day  is  elaborately  puffed  by  them  in  print.  So 
is  the  coming  of  all  the  early  fruits  of  the  season. 
The  arrival  of  the  first  pompano  makes  an  epoch ; 
the  first  strawberry  moistens  the  mouth  of  every 
citizen  who  reads  the  account  of  it  in  the  news 
papers  ;  the  first  dish  of  green  peas  in  the  market  is 
sent  as  a  present  to  the  printer ;  and,  in  the  same 
way,  all  the  changing  delights  of  New  Orleans  life, 
its  balls,  its  races,  its  theatrical  shows,  get  an  extra 
ordinary  amount  of  puffing.  But  let  not  the  New 
Yorker,  who,  sitting  down  in  the  month  of  March  to 
warm  his  toes  before  the  anthracite,  is  entertained 
with  one  of  these  high-flown  bursts  of  admiration, 
copied  into  the  papers  of  his  own  city,  let  him  not 
disturb  the  digestion  of  his  metropolitan  breakfast 
by  sighing  for  the  possession  of  such  premature  luxu 
ries  as  fall  to  the  lot  of  mortals  inhabiting  the  Cres 
cent  City.  Especially  let  him  not  be  tempted  to  set 
hastily  off  for  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  in  order  to  regale 
himself  with  these  semi-tropical  delicacies.  But  if  so 


166  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

« 

completely  infatuated  by  their  description  that  he 
must  needs  go  in  pursuit  of  them,  let  him  be  per 
suaded,  at  least,  to  take  his  anthracite  along  with 
him  ;  for  he  will  need  it.  True,  the  day  of  his  arri 
val  may  very  likely  be  so  sultry  as  to  tempt  him  into 
white  linen  ;  but  the  day  after  he  will  shiver  in  flan 
nels.  Does  he  wish  to  breakfast  on  pompanos  ? 
Certainly,  they  are  in  the  market,  but  not  in  the  bill 
of  fare  of  the  St.  Charles  Hotel.  They  are  to  be 
had  for  two  dollars  and  a  half  apiece,  and  grease 
money  to  the  cook.  He  would  like  a  dessert  of 
large,  ripe  strawberries,  such  as  he  read  of  in  the 
papers  before  leaving  New  York.  He  will  be  able 
to  find  them,  no  doubt,  by  going  to  the  confection 
er's  in  Canal  street. 

"  How  much  for  strawberries  ?  " 
"  Twenty  dollars  the  gallon,  sir.  Have  some  ?  " 
However,  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  the  ex 
traordinary  things  that  the  New  Yorker  will  see  at 
the  St.  Charles  will  go  far  toward  repaying  him  for 
the  trouble  of  his  journey.  He  will  see  gentlemen 
in  purple  pantaloons.  Twice  in  the  twenty-four  hours 
all  the  magnificence  of  Red  River  and  Arkansas 
empties  itself— a  perfect  flood  of  jewels,  laces,  paint 
ed  silks,  and  muslins — into  the  parlor.  He  will  see 
that.  Indeed,  let  him  look  sharp  at  these  ladies  ;  for, 
among  them,  he  will  find  some  with  not  less  than 


NEW  ORLEANS.  167 

four  thousand  cotton  bales  a  year,  and  others  who 
run  two  sets  of  sugar  kettles.  "  Look  at  'em  straight, 
to  see  if  you  like  'em,"  as  the  orange  boy  said  to  me 
on  the  Mississippi  steamer,  when  I  stopped  him  for 
the  purpose  of  making  an  investment  in  the  contents 
of  his  baskets.  And  when  the  gorgeous  tide  is  out 
of  the  parlor,  our  New  Yorker  may  be  entertained, 
by  chance,  with  the  sight  of  a  couple  of  lovers  on  a 
sofa,  sucking  each  an  orange,  while  they  estimate  the 
value  of  their  respective  crops  for  the  next  season, 
and  speculate  on  the  probable  price  of  negroes. 
Then,  when  he  goes  to  dinner,  it  will  be  an  amuse 
ment  for  him  to  divine  the  character  and  occupation 
of  the  gentleman  sitting  opposite,  with  such  an  im 
posing  countenance,  with  hair  artistically  combed 
back,  with  so  grand  an  air,  so  much  deference  toward 
the  lady  sitting  by  his  side.  Is  he  a  cotton  lord,  or  a 
sugar  lord,  or  some  foreign  potentate  on  his  travels  ? 
— a  question  which  may  well  occupy  the  mind  for  a 
half  hour,  at  the  end  of  which  time  our  traveller,  on 
going  down  to  the  barroom  for  his  petit  verre  of 
Cognac,  gets  the  solution.  His  vis-d-vis  is  a  tapman, 
and  mixes  juleps. 

And,  finally,  the  New  Yorker  who  has  come 
down  to  New  Orleans  to  eat  early  strawberries,  will 
undoubtedly  be  asked  to  spend  a  week  on  some  plan 
tation  up  the  river,  where  he  will  enjoy  the  great 


168  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

treat  of  hunting  the  bear.  This  of  itself  will  repay 
him  for  the  trouble  of  having  travelled  a  thousand 
miles,  and  even  make  him,  on  his  return  to  the  North, 
as  famous  as  the  English  cockney,  who,  after  the  tour 
of  the  States,  returns  to  London. 

"Well,  Colonel,"  says  every  friend  he  meets, 
"  you've  returned  from  America,  at  last  ?  " 

"  Why,  ya-a-s." 

"  Do  anything  there  ?  " 

"  Why,  ya-a-s  ;  I  shot  a  few  bear ! " 


CHAPTER  XV. 
Lake    Pont  char  train. 

I  MADE  the  inevitable  excursion  to  Lake  Pont- 
chartrain.  And,  after  a  few  days  in  town,  it 
was  a  pleasant  change  to  pass  beyond  the  suburbs 
into  the  open  fields,  where,  instead  of  the  careworn 
faces  of  the  Exchange,  and  the  painted  faces  of 
Canal  street,  I  saw  herds  of  cows  and  oxen  placidly 
grazing  in  the  pastures.  It  is  true  that  I  very  soon 
came  to  the  great  New  Orleans  swamp  ;  but  even 
that  was  interesting  as  a  specimen  of  that  kind  of 
natural  scenery  of  which  there  is  so  much  along  the 
course  of  the  Mississippi.  I  found  it  full  of  tall  trees 
and  tangled  thickets,  the  former  of  which  soon  come 
to  maturity,  and  soon  go  to  decay ;  so  that  the  naked, 
dead  branches  and  the  leafy  young  twigs  are  every 
where  interlaced.  It  is  the  beauty  of  the  garden 
and  the  desolation  of  the  waste  combined.  Huge 
trunks  lie  mouldering  in  all  directions  on  the  ground, 
8 


170  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

which  is  half  submerged  iu  water ;  while  out  of 
every  dry  spot  springs  an  infinite  variety  of  shrub 
bery,  and  plants  bearing  flowers.  One  hears  the 
birds  singing  in  the  trees  where  they  are  building 
their  nests  ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  looks  in  the  mud- 
holes  for  water  snakes  and  alligators. 

But,  now  that  you  are  at  the  lake,  wrhat  do  you 
propose  to  do  ?  Will  you  walk  out  upon  the  wharf, 
which  projects  far  into  the  water  ?  The  sun  is  too 
hot.  Will  you  take  a  bath  ?  The  bathing  house  is 
not  open  until  later  in  the  season,  when  the  water  is 
lukewarm ;  and,  besides,  it  is  as  yellow  as  that  of  the 
Mississippi,  or  the  Tiber.  Will  you  take  a  boat,  and 
amuse  yourself  by  sailing  ?  But  there  is  no  wind. 
What,  then,  can  be  done  ?  The  New  Orleanist 
knows  very  well  what  to  do.  He  walks  into  the 
hotel,  takes  a  drink,  and  orders  a  fish  dinner.  He 
has  come  out  here  expressly  to  have  a  feast,  and, 
perhaps,  to  gorge  himself  with  pompanos,  like  a  pike 
with  frogs.  Pie  will  also  eat  croakers,  or  court- 
bouillon  of  redfish,  or  tenderloin  trout  ;  and  the 
odds  are  that  they  will  be  quite  tender  enough.  Yet 
it  may  be  a  very  nice  thing,  a  fish  dinner  at  the  lake  ; 
for  everybody  seems  to  think  so.  For  my  part,  how 
ever,  I  preferred  spending  my  time  in  exploring  the 
neighboring  swamp  for  mud  turtles  and  alligators. 

But  after  having  eaten  your  fish,  if  you  will,  and 


LAKE  PONTCHARTRAIN.  171 

seen  the  wharf,  and  seen  the  row  of  shanties  along 
the  shore,  and  fired  a  few  rounds  in  the  pistol  gal 
lery,  and  shot,  of  course,  your  alligator,  you  return 
by  the  way  of  the  swamp  to  the  city.  There  is 
absolutely  nothing  else  to  be  done  or  enjoyed  at 
Lake  Pontchartrain. 

But,  I  pray  you,  stop,  on  your  return,  at  Carroll- 
ton  ;  for  there  is  a  garden  there  full  of  fair  flowers, 
and  attached  to  it  a  gardener  skilful  in  arranging 
them  in  bouquets.  What  an  infinite  beauty  of  colors 
and  graceful  forms  we  brought  to  town  in  a  single 
nosegay !  It  made  the  foul  streets  fragrant,  as  we 
passed  along,  and  transformed  our  sombre  hotel 
chamber  into  a  rustic  bower  or  cottage  piazza.  How 
lovely  these  roses  of  Ophir,  of  blended  pink  arid 
straw-color  !  how  full  of  odor  these  orange  blossoms, 
mignonettes,  and  jessamines !  And  a  cheap  pleas 
ure  it  is.  For  two  or  three  paltry  shillings  one  buys 
a  great  feast  and  entertainment,  greater  than  can  be 
purchased  in  bur  Northern  towns  for  as  many  dollars. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Up    the    Mi ssiss ipp i . 

I  WENT  up  the  Mississippi  in  one  of  the  very 
"  crackest "  boats  on  the  river.  The  captain,  as 
described  in  the  editorial  column  of  a  morning  paper, 
was  an  Esq.  well  known  in  the  community ;  and  the 
clerk  "  a  gentleman  with  whom  it  is  a  pleasure  to 
travel."  Strange  to  say,  I  found  this  description 
very  nearly  true.  The  captain,  at  least,  was  a  brave 
and  good-looking  fellow ;  while  the  clerk,  w^hen  I 
mentioned  to  him  the  name  of  the  plantation  to 
which  I  was  going,  said  he  regretted  that  he  should 
have  to  put  me  on  shore  at  daybreak,  but  would  give 
orders  to  the  engineer  to  make  noise  enough,  on 
approaching  the  landing,  to  wake  up  all  the  negroes 
on  the  place. 

Like  all  the  best  boats,  this  one  was  five  stories 
high,  and  had  the  appearance  of  being  as  much  out 
of  the  water  as  a  duck.  From  one  end  of  the  cabin 


UP  THE  MISSISSIPPI  173 

to  the  other  there  extended  a  long  vista,  made  longer 
by  a  mirror  at  the  stern.  In  the  forward  part  of  this 
saloon  were  congregated  the  gentlemen,  discussing 
politics,  cobblers,  and  polka  ;  in  the  aft  sat  the  ladies 
on  sofas  and  Yankee  rocking  chairs.  A  small  apart 
ment  in  the  extremest  stern  accommodated  the  maids 
and  duennas ;  and,  though  a  situation  the  farthest 
possible  removed  from  danger  in  case  of  explosion,  I 
happened  to*  notice  that  one  of  these  colored  dames 
said  a  prayer  and  crossed  herself  between  each  of  the 
half-dozen  cups  of  tea  she  drank  at  supper.  No 
doubt  she  expected  to  be  blown  up  before  morning. 

This  boat  was  celebrated  for  her  fleetness  ;  and  it 
was  amusing  to  see  her  shoot  across  the  bows  of  two 
or  three  rivals  which  had  left  the  city  a  little  in  ad 
vance  of  her.  The  captain  apparently  took  pride  in 
passing  as  near  to  the  other  boat  as  it  was  possible 
to  go  without  coming  into  actual  contact.  There 
was  some  danger,  to  be  sure,  in  two  steamers  run 
ning  at  full  speed  within  ten  feet  of  each  other ;  but 
it  gave  a  good  opportunity  to  the  jocose  officers, 
waiters,  and  crews  on  board  of  both  vessels  to  bandy 
pleasant  words  together. 

"  Captain,"  said  I,  "  your  ship  seems  to  be  rather 
fast." 

"  Yes,  sir,"  he  replied ;  "  she  is  able  to  take  the 
skin  off  the  nose  of  any  craft  on  this  river." 


174  TO   DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

I  believed  him ;  for  the  boat  was  driven  through 
the  water  with  a  force  so  great  it  seemed  that 
another  inch  of  steam  would  certainly  split  every 
thing.  The  huge  framework  shook,  from  the  vio 
lent  efforts  of  the  engine,  as  if  it  had  the  ague. 
The  floor  shook  beneath  my  feet ;  the  table  shook, 
and  all  the  dishes  on  it.  Every  door,  also — every 
window  and  pane  of  glass  in  the  enormous  structure 
rattled ;  while  all  the  passengers  seemed  to  feel  very 
much  as  doughnuts  do  when  shaken  in  the  good- 
wife's  saucepan.  Surely,  at  the  expiration  of  six  or 
seven  days  and  nights  on  the  river,  one  would  have 
quite  enough  of  this  mode  of  travelling,  bepraised  as 
it  is  in  these  parts ;  and,  even  before  that  time,  might 
well  pray  for  a  good  thick  fog  to  compel  the  boat  to 
lie  at  anchor  for  twenty-four  or  forty-eight  hours, 
thereby  restoring  quiet. 

My  stateroom  was  neat,  commodious,  and  of 
large  size ;  yet  the  air  was  too  warm,  and  not  too 
pure.  Indeed,  what  is  to  prevent  the  odors  from  the 
tables,  which  are  spread  half  the  day  long,  and  the 
odors  from  the  barroom,  pungent  enough  at  all 
times,  from  constantly  passing  aft,  and  perfuming  the 
ladies'  cabin,  and  rooms  adjoining  ? 

However,  I  dined  better  and  more  comfortably 
than  I  remember  ever  to  have  dined  on  any  river- 
going  steamer  before,  the  Rhine  boats  only  excepted. 


VP   THE  MISSISSIPPI.  175 

The  neatly  painted  cabin  made  a  handsome  dining 
room.  The  tables,  divided  into  small  ones,  were 
spread  with  linen  immaculately  clean.  The  waiters, 
who  were  all  black  boys  in  white  jackets,  served  the 
guests  with  less  clatter  of  the  heels,  and  less  running, 
and  foaming  at  the  mouth,  than  I  have  before  wit 
nessed  in  any  similar  crowd  of  attendants.  My  boy, 
whenever  I  wanted  him,  was  always  at  my  elbow. 
Whenever  sent  for  any  dish,  he  did  not  stop  to  rest 
his  bones  by  the  way.  He  also  remembered  what  he 
was  sent  for,  and  did  not  come  back  with  chicken 
instead  of  turkey,  or  mashed  potato  instead  of  green 
peas.  Pie  and  all  his  fellows  were  evidently  well 
officered,  and  had  been  subjected  to  a  system  of 
drilling  second  only  to  that  of  West  Point. 

But  the  excellence  of  the  dinner  did  not  consist 
entirely  in  the  clean  linen  and  the  good  service. 
There  was  a  master  in  the  art  of  cooking  below 
decks,  who  sent  up  his  dishes  in  a  style  which  put 
the  cooks  of  the  great  hotels  on  shore  noivhere. 
Think  of  having  your  choice,  on  board  a  steamboat, 
between  three  different  kinds  of  such  fish  as  boiled 
sheep's  head,  baked  snapper,  and  barbecued  rcdfish 
— not  to  mention  side  dishes,  like  oyster  pie  and 
stuffed  crabs !  Think,  too,  of  such  extraordinary 
dishes  on  a  steamboat  table  as  calves'  feet  cooked  as 
they  are  cooked  in  Portugal,  and  ox  tongue  done  as 


176  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

they  do  it  in  Macedonia !  Think,  also,  of  boned 
calves'  head,  of  maccaroni  timbale,  of  briskets  of 
pork  d  la  Perigord,  and  of  veal  in  a  blanket  of  mush 
rooms  !  Think,  finally,  of  no  less  than  seventeen 
different  dishes  of  sweets,  many  of  them  with 
strange  names  and  stranger  aspect ! 

But  in  order  not  to  represent  the  feast  as  abso 
lutely  perfect,  it  must  be  confessed  that  the  tables 
did  shake  a  little — that  the  custards  were  in  a  state 
of  perpetual  churning — and  that  the  forms  of  jelly, 
trembling,  threatened  to  jump  overboard.  If  there 
was  none  of  the  risk  experienced  in  sea-going  steam 
ers,  of  having  the  soup  transferred  from  plate  to  lap, 
one  could,  at  least,  not  help  thinking  that  he  would 
feel  more  secure  of  his  dinner  if  well  lashed  to  it. 
J^obody,  I  observed,  dared  drink  any  stronger  wine 
than  the  ordinary  claret,  which  was  furnished  as  a 
part  of  the  dinner ;  the  guests  seeming  to  consider 
how  easy  a  thing  it  would  be  to  tumble  from  such 
uneasy  chairs  under  the  table. 

As  the  captain  did  not  land  me  until  an  hour  or 
two  after  daylight,  there  was  no  need  of  any  extra 
noise  to  wake  up  the  negroes.  But  from  the  amount 
of  whistling  and  screaming  the  engines  performed 
during  the  night,  whether  on  stopping  at  way  sta 
tions  for  the  accommodation  of  mails  and  passen 
gers,  or  in  saluting  other  boats  and  river  craft,  I 


UP   THE  MISSISSIPPI.  177 

should  say  that  there  could  not  have  been  much 
sleeping  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  except  by  persons 
whose  ears  were  very  familiar  with  steam  music. 

Put  out  in  the  early  morning  upon  the  levee,  I 
wras  left  there  without  a  soul  to  help  me — not  one 
compassionate  cabman  even.  My  arrival  not  being- 
expected  at  that  hour,  the  family  coach,  of  course, 
was  not  in  waiting.  What,  then,  was  I  to  do  with 
either  myself  or  my  luggage  ?  Clearly,  I  was  to  do 
as  Southern  people  do — wait ;  and,  what  was  better, 
enjoy  the  freshness  of  the  beautiful  morning  by  this 
broad  river  side. 

The  wild  fowl  were  flying,  with  cheerful  cry, 
hither  and  thither  over  the  water ;  or  feeding  and 
gambolling  on  shallow  places  near  the  shore,  im- 
scared  by  the  fowler.  The  river  hurried  by,  never 
resting ;  while  all  nature,  on  that  still  morning,  lay 
in  repose.  The  grass  upon  the  banks  and  fields  was 
a  soft  green ;  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach  beyond 
ran  the  level  woods  ;  and,  over  all,  the  sun  just  risen 
shed  the  mild  light  of  a  morning  in  spring.  I 
waited,  but  not  impatiently — enjoying  the  satisfac 
tion,  besides,  of  knowing  that  the  solid  ground  be 
neath  my  feet  could  not  be  shaken  by  anything  short 
of  an  earthquake. 

At  last,  a  black  boy  of  tender  years  came  from 
the  mansion  house,  having  been  sent  to  ascertain  the 


178  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

cause  of  the  boat's  stopping.  He  was  just  big 
enough  to  carry  my  small  "  traps  ; "  and,  leaving  the 
trunks  on  the  shore,  I  walked  slowly  on  behind  the 
little  guide.  But  before  going  far,  a  stout  negress 
came  trotting  toward  me,  to  see  who  was  coming ; 
nor  had  I  received  her  salutations  before  a  negro  on 
horseback  hove  in  sight.  My  escort  increased  at 
every  step,  until  I  arrived  at  the  gate  of  the  mansion, 
where  still  another  small  negro  bade  me  welcome, 
and  asked  me  to  walk  in. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

A    Sugar    Plantation. 

THIS   plantation    is    one    of  the   largest   on   the 
Mississippi.      It   lies  lower,  indeed,  than  the 
river,  as  do  the  others  all  the  way  to  New  Orleans ; 
the  water  being  kept  in  its  channel  by  an  embank 
ment  ten  or  more  feet  in  height.     The  whole  estate, 
'extending  three  or  four  miles  back  from  the  river,  is 
wcllnigh  as  level  as  a  house  floor.     Its  soil  is  culti- 
Vated  by  two  or  three  hundred  negroes,  male  and 
female,  and  almost  half  as  many  mules  and  horses. 
Just  now  they  arc  planting  the  sugar  cane,  ploughing 
jwith  six  mules  and  two  negroes — one  of  the  latter 
;  driving,  and  the   other  holding  the  plough.      There 
j  are  smaller  teams,  however,  in  the  lighter  ground, 
1  consisting  of  two  mules,  and  one  man  or  woman. 
One   sees  a  whole   acre  of  blacks  of  both  sexes  at 
work  with  hoes,   covering   the   canes.      They  labor 
from  dawn  until  dusk,  with  a  couple  of  hours  of  rest 


180  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

at  noon ;  and,  being  behind  in  their  planting  on 
account  of  the  wet  state  of  the  lands,  they  are  now 
working  very  briskly,  and  do  not  rest  on  Sunday. 
They  have,  however,  plenty  of  the  "  hog  and  hom 
iny  "  which  the  negro  so  much  delights  in ;  are  re 
markably  healthy  looking,  and  wear,  for  the  most 
part,  good-natured,  happy  faces. 

There  is  a  whole  yardful  of  little  ones,  who  are 
kept  colonized  apart  from  their  elders,  and  number 
about  sixty.  A  bright,  roguish  set  they  are,  as 
merry  as  so  many  blackbirds,  and  far  blacker. 
Ranged  in  a  row  before  us,  they  stood  all  the  while 
giggling,  and  stretching  their  mouths  at  each  other. 
A  portion  of  them  were  also  made  to  dance  on  a 
platform,  which  they  did  with  a  will,  shuffling  with 
their  heels,  and  singing,  in  full  chorus,  "  Oh !  wait 
for  de  wagon,"  and  "  Ole  Dan  Tucker." 

After  inspecting  the  little  negroes,  we  looked  at 
the  other  live  stock.  At  the  call  of  an  old  woman, 
turkeys,  hens,  chickens,  geese,  peacocks,  and  guinea 
fowls  came  running  and  flying  to  get  T  "ir  dinner. 
Then  a  nimble  black  boy  was  sent  over  the  fence  to 
run  among  the  trees  and  bushes,  for  the  purpose  of 
driving  into  the  open  ground  a  herd  of  tame  deer, 
which  we  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  leap  and  run 
from  one  end  of  the  park  to  the  other. 

This  plantation  is  a  little  world  of  itself.     Corn, 


A   SUGAR  PLANTATION.  181 

as  well  as  sugar,  is  raised  here,  and  is  ground  in  a 
steam  mill  into  the  whitest  of  hominy.  Here  are 
herds  of  horses,  mules,  and  cows,  and  flocks  of 
sheep.  There  is  no  lack  of  milk  for  the  children, 
and  butter  is  churned  every  morning  by  a  little  ne- 
gress  in  a  stone  pot  almost  as  tall  as  she  is.  Her  mis 
tress  says  she  sometimes  goes  to  sleep  at  the  task, 
though  still  keeping  up  the  churning.  Several  me 
chanical  trades,  likewise,  are  carried  on,  as  the  car 
penter's,  the  smith's,  the  cooper's.  There  arc  a 
dozen  outhouses  of  all  kinds  in  the  yard — icehouse, 
hencoop,  terrapin  pen,  laundry,  dairy,  &c.  At  a 
little  distance  from  the  mansion  stands  the  sugar 
mill ;  and  connected  with  it  is  a  small  village  of 
negro  houses,  all  neatly  whitewashed. 

During  our  visit,  there  occurred  a  succession  of 
beautiful  days,  beautiful  as  pearls  upon  the  string. 
The  sunrise,  so  praised  by  the  poets,  we  here  found 
to  be  no  fable  ;  and  all  that  had  been  said  by  this 
fibbing  class  of  writers  respecting  the  beauty  of  the 
early  dewdrops,  nestled  in  rose  petals  pendent  from 
honeysuckles,  cradled  in  the  hollows  of  leaves,  and 
flashing  like  gems  from  every  spear  of  grass  and 
blade  of  clover,  we  discovered  to  be  simple  verity. 
It  was  the  freshness  of  the  Northern  spring  morning, 
but  warm  and  soft  as  the  morning  of  the  Northern 
summer.  And  Avhat  a  sweet  fellowship  of  life  was 


182  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

it  to  breathe  the  same  air  as  the  roses  and  the  honey 
suckles  !  "What  calmness  of  joy  to  walk  in  these 
paths  where  the  myrtle  blooms,  and  the  sweet-scented 
violet !  The  wild  olive,  also,  is  fragrant,  and  so  is 
the  banana  shrub,  bearing  corollas  chocolate-colored. 
Here,  on  these  lawns,  is  a  perfect  harmony  of  flow 
ers  of  every  hue ;  and  here,  besides,  grow  great 
numbers  of  strange,  semi-tropical  plants,  and  trees 
which  love  the  sun.  At  the  same  time,  the  ear  is 
captivated  with  a  chorus  of  mocking  birds,  and  other 
sweet-throated  songsters ;  for  the  birds  all  fly  to 
these  gardens,  taking  delight,  apparently,  in  this 
beauty  of  foliage  and  flower,  and  made  also  more 
cheerful  themselves  from  the  addition  they  bring  to 
the  happiness  of  man.  Such  mornings  are  like  nose 
gays,  which  never  fade,  and  live  forever  in  the 

0 
memory. 

Nor  is  the  spring  noontide  on  the  banks  of  the 
Mississippi  scarcely  less  pleasing.  The  thermometer 
seems  at  fault  when  it  indicates  a  temperature  of 
eighty-five  degrees  of  Fahrenheit ;  for  the  air  is 
quite  cool  and  fresh.  One  is  comfortable  in  thin 
woollen.  Light,  capricious  breezes  are  humming,  at 
intervals,  in  the  tops  of  the  cypresses,  and  softly 
caressing  the  roses  which  hang  swinging  from  the 
branches  of  the  China  trees.  Sitting  in  the  pleasant 
shade,  one  is  fanned  by  them  as  gently  as  by  peacock 


A   SUGAR  PLANTATION.  j83 

feathers  waved  over  his  head  by  slaves.  Indeed, 
these  airs  seem  to  take  as  much  delight  in  idling 
aAvay  the  noontide  as  we  ourselves  do,  swinging  from 
treetop  to  treetop,  balancing  themselves  on  the  pop 
lar  leaves,  and  finding  sufficient  occupation,  as  they 
come  from  this  side  or  from  that,  in  bringing  us  now 
the  scent  of  roses,  or  pinks,  or  violets,  and  now  the 
incense  of  orange  blossoms  or  honeysuckles.  The 
voices  of  the  hundred  mocking  birds  in  these  groves 
and  thickets  are  softly  subdued,  at  this  hour  of  the 
day,  their  superabundant  joy  getting  vent  only  in 
undertones  and  half  notes.  The  drowsy  humming 
of  the  bees  is  almost  audible.  And  how  sweetly  the 
low  bleating  of  the  lambs,  as  they  nibble  the  white 
blossoms  of  the  clover  pastures,  harmonizes  with  this 
calm  of  the  Southern  noontide ;  Avhile  the  shrill 
crowing  of  the  cock  on  a  neighboring  plantation  sug 
gests  to  the  ear  almost  a  discord  !  The  cattle,  tired 
of  cropping  the  luxuriant  lawn,  now  lie  huddled  in 
the  shade  of  the  broad  liveoaks ;  the  negro  garden 
ers,  who  have  been  mowing  the  fragrant  grass,  or 
trimming  the  too  adventurous  climbing  plants,  now 
eat  their  midday  meal,  sitting  with  their  backs 
against  the  fence,  or  lie  sleeping  after  it  in  the  full 
sunlight ;  while  we,  pleasure  seekers,  wish  for  no 
better  entertainment  than  to  spend  the  sunny  hours 
on  the  cool  piazza,  turning  some  pleasant,  desultory 


184  TO   DIXIE  AND    THE   TROPICS. 

pages  ;  or,  in  gentle  converse,  strolling  idly  up  and 
down,  plucking  now  a  rose  from  its  cloth  of  gold, 
hung  down  from  the  balcony,  and  now  a  honeysuckle 
from  its  bright  tapestry  of  purple  and  scarlet.  Is 
not  this  the  perfection  of  still  life  ?  Surely  it  is  its 
ecstasy. 

Fortunate  is  the  traveller  who,  after  weeks  and 
months  spent  in  hotels,  is  received  as  a  guest  in  such 
a  house  as  this,  to  be  entertained  by  the  sight  of 
cheerful,  affectionate  faces,  and  to  take  up  his  quar 
ters,  for  the  time  being,  in  a  clean,  well-furnished 
chamber  looking  toward  the  sunrise  !  What  a  lux 
ury  there  is  in  w^hite  linen  again,  and  carpets  soft  to 
the  feet !  Welcome  is  the  sight  of  French  porce 
lain,  powder  puff,  and  pomatum !  And  what  an  air 
of  good  nature  pervades  the  house,  the  service  of 
which  is  performed  by  Africans,  whose  mouths  are 
ready  to  grin  with  cheerful  ivory  at  the  first  kind 
word  addressed  to  them  ! 

The  day's  routine  is  as  folio ws  :  In  the  morning, 
being  a  wise  man,  one  rises  with  the  sun,  and  saun 
ters  through  the  grounds  to  enjoy  the  cool  of  the 
day  ;  or  he  gets  into  the  saddle,  appropriating  to  his 
use  the  legs  of  a  horse,  who  cradles  him  about  for 
an  hour  or  two  over  the  estate,  or  up  and  down  the 
river  bank.  Breakfast  by  this  time  being  more  a 
necessity  than  a  luxury,  he  will  relish  corn  cakes  and 


A   SUGAR  PLANTATION.  185 

hominy,  eggs  and  bacon,  butter  newly  churned  and 
greens  from  the  garden.  The  plantation  breakfast 
is  a  simple  one,  to  eat  which  requires  vigorous  diges 
tive  powers  rather  than  any  particular  refinement  of 
palate.  After  this  meal  it  is  the  regular  order  of 
sugar-planting  life  to  begin  the  day's  smoking — 
though  it  would  seem  as  if  cigars  were  better  suited 
to  a  country  where  there  are  fewer  flow^ers.  But 
either  cigar  in  mouth  or  rose  in  buttonhole — one 
can  have  his  choice.  At  this  period  of  the  day,  also, 
it  is  proper  to  read  or  write ;  only  doing  so  in  mod 
eration,  and  breaking  up  the  continuity  of  labor  by 
frequent  intervals  of  idling,  talking,  listening  to  the 
mocking  birds,  observing  the  soaring  of  the  turkey 
vultures,  and  the  gay,  fluttering  apparition  of  the 
butterflies.  The  lovers  of  the  dog  and  gun,  too,  may 
go  out  for  birds,  or  bears ;  for  there  is  plenty  of 
game  in  the  swamp,  and  there  is  a  swamp  attached 
to  every  plantation. 

Your  dinner  you  will  eat  when  it  is  ready ;  and 
that  may  be,  very  likely,  an  hour  behind  time.  For 
it  is  two  o'clock  on  a  plantation  until  it  is  three,  and 
three  until  it  is  four,  and  so  through  the  round  of  all 
the  twenty-four  hours.  You  ought  to  get  very  good 
gumbo  in  this  part  of  the  world ;  and  on  feast  days 
you  are  entitled  to  terrapin,  no  plantation  yard  being 
perfect  without  a  terrapin  pen  in  it.  The  beef  is 


186  'I'O  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

good,  provided  it  come  down  the  river  from  St. 
Louis,  and  the  Western  prairies  ;  but  where  there 
are  no  hills  there  can  be  no  mountain  mutton.  Corn 
cakes  are  current  at  every  meal.  The  ham  is  as  sure 
to  be  on  the  table  as  are  its  legs  to  be  under  it.  In 
March,  green  peas  and  strawberries  are  seasonable ; 
and  if  they  are  not  forthcoming  at  that  time,  the 
gardener  will  always  have  a  good  excuse  for  it. 
Pecan  nuts  will  not  fail  you ;  for  they  grow  abun 
dantly  in  this  region,  and  are  picked  by  the  negroes 
at  halves.  Your  claret  comes  from  New  Orleans  in 
the  cask,  and  is  well  worth  the  three  hundred  dollars 
which  has  been  paid  for  it.  So,  on  the  whole,  your 
fare  is  satisfactory,  and  to  be  accepted  with  thank 
fulness. 

After  dinner  there  is  but  one  thing  to  be  done. 
You  are  put  into  the  coach  ;  and,  after  having  ridden 
over  all  the  country  without  ceremony  in  the  morn 
ing,  you  will  be  driven  over  the  same,  after  dinner, 
in  state.  The  family  coach  is  always  a  respectable 
vehicle,  if  an  old  one ;  but  may  be  a  little  flashy  if 
bran  new.  The  coachman,  however,  is  a  simple  black 
boy,  in  a  glazed  hat,  without  tag  or  tassel ;  and,  be 
hind,  sits  with  dangling  heels  a  smaller  one,  in  a 
straw  hat  and  neatly  patched  breeches.  Nor  is  this 
last  boy  by  any  means  the  fifth  wheel  in  the  coach. 
On  the  contrary,  he  makes  himself  exceedingly  use- 


A    SUGAR  PLANTATION.  187 

ful  in  opening  doors  and  gates,  and  doing  all  your 
bidding. 

And  so  goes  the  day.  So  goes  every  day  ;  for 
there  is  little  variety  in  this  kind  of  life.  When 
there  is  a  fine  sunset,  of  course  you  look  at  it ;  but 
beware  of  the  evenings,  which  are  damp  —  often 
chilly.  Do  not  expect  to  enjoy  them  as  in  Cuba ; 
but,  there  being  neither  ball  nor  opera,  draw  your 
nightcap  over  your  eyes  at  an  early  hour,  and  be  sure 
that  no  windows  looking  toward  the  north  are  left 
open.  From  any  other  point  of  the  compass  air  may 
be  allowed  to  come  into  the  bedchamber  during  the 
night  without  risk  to  health  ;  but  out  of  the  north 
star  come  sudden  and  very  dangerous  changes  of 
weather  in  this  climate. 

On  these  banks  of  the  Mississippi  the  home  is  not 
quite  so  permanent  an  institution  as  one  might  sup 
pose  from  the  large  size  of  the  estates.  For  the 
business  of  sugar  growing  being  of  such  a  nature 
that  it  can  be  profitably  managed  only  by  a  single 
directing  mind,  it  often  happens,  on  the  death  of  the 
planter,  that  no  convenient  disposition  can  be  made 
of  the  property  among  the  heirs,  except  by  its  sale. 
The  equal  distribution  of  estates  among  the  children 
of  the  deceased  has  the  effect  to  turn  them  all  out 
of  the  house  and  home  which  was  their  father's,  no 
one  being  rich  enough  to  receive  it  as  his  portion. 


188  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

Hence  sugar  planters  rarely  can  afford  to  erect  costly 
mansion  houses ;  and,  if  they  do  build  them,  such 
property  is  liable  to  come  into  the  possession  of 
strangers,  rather  than  to  be  retained  by  the  family 
during  a  succession  of  generations.  Hence,  also, 
these  homes  can  be  expected  to  contain  but  few  heir 
looms  of  the  past,  or  costly  works  of  art,  or  large 
libraries,  or  valuable  furniture.  Much  as  ever  will 
they  be  shaded  by  tall,  ancestral  trees,  or  surrounded 
by  fine  old  parks  and  extensive  pleasure  grounds. 
Generally,  the  house  must  be  a  cheap,  wooden  one, 
situated  in  a  small  lawn  and  yard  of  flowers  ;  and, 
indeed,  it  should  be  so  built  that  it  can  be  torn  down 
without  too  much  trouble ;  for  our  new  democratic 
generations  must  have  new  houses.  The  only  pity 
is,  that  the  old  family  associations  have  to  be  broken 
up,  and  scattered  with  the  old  rafters  and  doorposts. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

A    Western  Hotel. 

IT  was  late  on  a  rainy  evening  that  I  arrived  at 
the  great  Western  city  of .  On  entering 

the  hotel  which  had  been  recommended  to  me,  I 
found  the  hall  filled  like  a  merchant's  exchange,  and 
made  my  way  to  the  office,  not  without  some  diffi 
culty.  The  clerks  were  all  too  busy  to  notice  my 
arrival.  I  Avas  not  asked  to  register  my  name  in  the 
hotel  book,  but  did  so  without  invitation.  After 
waiting  some  little  time,  however,  I  succeeded  in 
catching  the  eye  of  a  clerk,  when  we  held  the  follow 
ing  conversation  together : 

"  Have  you  a  room  for  me  ?  " 

"  Not  a  room  in  the  house,  sir." 

"  Well,  give  me  a  cot,  then." 

"  Not  a  cot  in  the  house,  sir." 

"  But  I  am  ill,  and  can  go  no  farther.  You  may 
give  me  a  sofa — anything." 


190  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

"  Not  a  sofa  in  the  house,  sir.  Nothing  in  the 
house,  sir." 

And  the  clerk  passed  on,  to  say  the  same  thing  to 
another  applicant  for  hospitality — and  to  another — 
until  he  was  so  tired  of  refusing,  that  he  did  it  with 
out  pity,  or  even  politeness.  I  turned  on  my  heel ; 
and,  at  the  same  instant,  turned  on  his  heel  toward 
me  one  of  the  bystanders.  It  was  a  small  provi 
dence,  for  he  was  a  good  Samaritan  from  New  York, 
who  picked  me  up  in  my  hour  of  need,  and  gave  me 
a  cot  in  his  empty  parlor. 

I  then  learned  that  I  had  arrived  at  the  wrong 
hour  in  the  day.  In  the  great  Western  hotels,  the 
tide  of  travel  ebbs  and  flows  twice  in  the  twenty- 
four  hours  as  regularly  as  the  ocean  follows  the 
moon.  After  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  rooms  are 
as  easy  to  be  had  as  any  drug  in  the  market ;  after 
nine  in  the  evening  they  can  rarely  be  obtained  for 
money,  and  never  for  love.  The  hospitality  of  the 
house  ceases  at  nine  P.  M.  The  civility  of  the  clerks 
is  completely  exhausted  by  that  time.  Travellers 
arriving  later  than  that  are  a  nuisance  to  all  the  offi 
cials,  from  landlord  to  chambermaid.  The  cold,  in 
hospitable  looks  the  belated  comer  gets  all  round 
seem  to  say  to  him,  "  Why  did  you  not  arrive  earlier 
in  the  day,  sir  ?  "  If  it  would  do  any  good,  you 
might  easily  account  for  the  lateness  of  your  getting 


A    WESTERN  HOTEL.  191 

to  town,  and  show  that  the  blame  rested  on  other 
shoulders  than  your  own  ;  but  it  will  be  of  no  avail. 
You  can  have  as  many  apartments  as  you  please  to 
morrow  morning ;  but  to-night  you  must  get  your 
sleep  on  three  chairs,  or  walking  the  hall,  if  you  hap 
pen  to  be  a  somnambulist. 

So  it  is  year  in  and  year  out.  A  porter  gifted 
with  a  strong  pair  of  lungs  is  kept  pretty  constantly 
perambulating  the  halls  of  the  house,  and  bawrling 
out,  loud  enough  to  waken  every  sleeper  and  stun 
every  waker,  "  All  aboard  !  all  aboard  !  Omnibus 
ready  for  the  cars !  "  A  person  accustomed  to  the 
quiet  of  his  own  mansion  may  be  annoyed  by  this ; 
but  before  he  has  lived  forty  days  in  the  hotel,  he 
pays  no  more  attention  to  them  than  to  the  hand 
organ  which  nightly  grinds  its  grist  of  melodies 
under  his  windows.  Not  less  embarrassing  are  the 
piles  of  luggage  heaped  up  in  the  halls  and  passage 
ways,  against  which  one  is  constantly  liable  to  run 
his  nose  or  bark  his  shins.  And  when  the  trunks  are 
loaded  on  the  backs  of  hurrying  porters,  the  risk  of 
a  collision  is  still  greater ;  for  poor  Paddy,  with  half 
a  ton  of  trunks  to  his  back,  is  blind  as  a  bat,  and  sees 
nothing  but  the  main  chance  of  the  open  doorway. 
The  traveller  is  more  in  danger  of  being  run  down  in 
his  hotel  than  on  the  river,  or  the  rail.  Porters, 
waiters,  guests,  all  are  in  quick  motion  ;  and  one  or 


192  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

the  other  is  pretty  sure  to  knock  him  over.  Indeed, 
the  society  of  a  Western  hotel  is  in  a  constant  fiux. 
The  universe,  in  the  Hegelian  philosophy,  is  not  more 
fluid.  Every  man  is  either  just  in  from  Cincinnati 
or  Chicago,  or  he  is  just  starting  for  one  of  these 
places.  Unless  he  makes  his  hundred  miles  between 
breakfast  and  dinner,  he  counts  himself  an  idler,  and 
talks  of  growing  rusty.  A  great  deal  of  his  business 
he  transacts  "  aboard  the  cars,"  or  the  steamboats ; 
some  of  it  at  the  hotels ;  and  all  of  it  on  his  feet, 
and  ready  to  "  bolt."  The  dinner  table,  too,  is  an 
exchange  for  him.  Business  before  soup — it  is  the 
first  course  of  the  dinner,  and  the  last.  Between  fish 
and  pudding  he  will  sell  a  prairie.  With  every 
mouthful  of  bread  he  will  engage  to  deliver  ten  thou 
sand  bushels  of  wheat.  The  "upset  price"  is 
knocked  hard  down  on  the  table  with  the  end  of  his 
knife  handle  ;  and  the  bargain  is  clinched  by  help  of 
the  nut  cracker  or  the  sugar  tongs.  If  he  sees  his 
next  neighbor  prefer  mutton,  he  at  once  oifers  to  sell 
him  sheep  by  the  thousand ;  if  he  dines  on  pork,  he 
will  invite  him  to  go  into  a  speculation  in  hogs.  His 
railroad  shares  he  will  dispose  of  at  the  price  of  pea 
nuts  ;  and  his  State  bonds  he  will  give  away  to  any 
one  who  will  pay  his  champagne  bill,  and  the  piper 
generally ;  or  rather,  he  would  do  so  a  few  years 
ago. 


A    WESTERN  HOTEL.  103 

I  was  not  so  ill  as  to  prevent  my  getting  down  to 
the  table  at  mealtime.  This  was  the  chief  amuse 
ment  of  my  day,  being  as  good  a  high-low  comedy 
as  may  be  seen  on  any  stage,  at  least  Avcst  of  the 
Alleghanies.  The  table  groans  with  good  things. 
Here  are  the  veritable  solids,  and  none  of  what  the 
Frenchman  calls  les  choscs '  maiyres.  The  waiters 
drop  fatness,  literally.  Your  plate  is  brought  to  you 
heaped  up  with  roast  beef.  Every  third  man  has  his 
pudding.  The  waiters  hand  about  the  iced  cream  in 
slices,  which  suggest  the  resemblance  of  small  prai 
ries.  And,  finally,  the  dinner  goes  off,  like  the  finale 
of  a  display  of  fireworks,  with  "  Jenny  Lind  cake," 
"  vanities,"  "  cookeys,"  "lady  fingers,"  "jelly  snips," 
and  "  pecans." 

The  only  difficulty  is  in  getting  little  enough  of 
anything  you  may  call  for.  Just  a  bit  of  a  thing — 
un  morceau — is  an  impossibility.  A  thin  cut  can't  be 
had.  A  man,  therefore,  with  a  delicate  stomach,  is 
entirely  out  of  place  here,  where  the  arrangements 
are  all  designed  for  persons  who  are  ready  to  "  go 
the  whole  animal."  When  I  came  down  in  theHven- 
ing,  to  get  a  cup  of  tea  and  a  bite  at  a  biscuit,  I 
never  could  escape  the  everlasting  "  Have  a  beef 
steak,  sir  ?  "  of  the  waiters.  'Tis  a  great  country  out 
West,  and  the  men  who  live  in  it  are  feeders  to  cor 
respond.  They  want  their  meat  three  times  a  day, 
0 


194  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

as  regularly  as  poor  Pat  does  when  he  leaves  his 
potato  island  and  arrives  in  this  land  of  beeves  and 
buffaloes.  Even  their  horses  have  freer  access  to  the 
corn  crib  than  negroes  do  in  Virginia.  The  Western 
man  expects  to  see  plenty  around  him.  Nothing  is 
too  good  for  him.  He  never  stops  to  count  the  cost. 
Corn  and  wine  are  his— honey,  and  the  honeycomb. 
The  cattle  on  a  thousand  acres  are  his  also.  The 
prairies  are  white  with  his  flocks ;  the  eye  follows 
the  waving  grain  to  the  horizon ;  the  buffalo  yields 
him  its  tongue,  the  bear  its  haunches,  and  the  buck 
his  saddle ;  the  wild  turkey  is  brought  in  from  the 
forests,  the  canvas-back  duck  from  the  bays,  and  the 
pinnated  grouse  from  the  prairies ;  the  salmon  trout 
is  caught  at  Mackinaw,  the  whitefish  fill  the  lakes, 
and  oysters  "  hermetically  sealed  "  arrive  by  express 
from  the  seaboard,  every  day  in  their  season. 

There  is  plenty  and  to  spare  of  all  things,  save  of 
art.  The  kitchen  is  indeed  no  cuisine.  The  cook  is 
not  "  abroad  "  in  these  parts.  He  is  coming,  doubt- 
less^in  "  the  good  time,"  but  has  not  yet  arrived. 
Still  there  is,  here  and  there,  a  pioneer  from  Paris, 
come  out  to  try  his  'prentice  hand,  and  "  rough  it." 
There  was  one  such  in  my  hotel ;  but  both  his  dishes 
and  his  French  were  execrable.  He  daily  served  up 
such  figures  of  speech  as  "Calf's  head  a  la  Finan- 
cire,"  "  Lamb  chop  santees,"  and  "  Macaroni  a  la 


A    WESTERN  HOTEL.  195 

Italienare."  These  mistakes  one  might  be  disposed  to 
attribute  to  the  printer — a  "  devil "  on  whom  is  heaped 
a  multitude  of  sins  not  his  own  ;  but  the  dishes  them 
selves  forbade  it.  Evidently  these  and  their  printed 
names  were  by  the  same  master,  and  were  worthy 
each  of  the  other.  However,  'twas  all  Greek  to  the 
majority  of  the  "  customers."  The  gods  on  Olympus 
did  not  know  French,  and  the  Western  traveller 
finds  ambrosia  in  every  platter,  spite  of  the  mis 
spelling.  He  goes  for  the  potts — finds  them  good, 
and  doesn't  trouble  his  head  about  the  patois.  Still 
there  are  those — Connecticut  men,  no  doubt,  by  ori 
gin — who  will  not  eat  of  any  dish  that  has  not  a 
plain  Old  Testament  name  to  it.  They  admit  of  but 
one  exception.  "  I'll  trouble  you,"  said  such  a  one 
at  my  side,  "  to  pass  me  that  platter  of  shoat  and 
beans."  He  felt  his  native  partialities  melting  in  his 
mouth,  and  could  neither  wait  his  turn  nor  be  with 
stood.  "  I'll  just  thank  you,  stranger,  for  that  plat 
ter,"  he  repeated,  in  a  beseeching  tone  of  voice, 
which  quickly  moved  my  pity,  at  the  same  time 
pointing  and  beckoning  with  both  hands.  After  he 
had  "  gone  the  whole  hog,"  he  asked  the  waiter  if  he 
had  any  doughnuts.  "  Doo-noots  ?  "  replied  Pat,  com 
pletely  at  his  writ's  end ;  "  I'm  a-thinkin'  them  noots 
don't  grow  in  this  counthry,  sir."  Upon  my  word,  it 
was  the  only  thing  I  ever  heard  asked  for  at  that  table 


196  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

which  was  not  to  be  had.  To  console  my  neighbor,  I 
told  him  that  doughnuts  were  plentiful  in  D— ,  for 
I  had  seen  them  piled  up  there  in  tall  pyramids,  or 
after  the  fashion  of  children's  cob  houses.  Where 
upon  he  informed  me  that  he  would  stop  a  day  at 

D on  his  return.     I  advised  him  to  do  so. 

But  the  best  part  of  the  dinner  remains  to  be  dis 
cussed — 'tis  the  waiters.  I  took  more  pleasure  in 
these  than  in  anything  they  brought  me.  Of  all 
places  in  this  country,  I  had  always  supposed  that 
New  York  was  the  one  for  seeing  Paddy  in  his 
truest  and  most  emerald  colors.  But  'tis  a  mistake. 
He  is  imported  in  still  more  native  purity  into  the 
West.  It  is  said  that  the  hotel  keepers  here  send 
out  a  practised  hunter  from  the  plains,  who  catches 
Patrick  in  his  wildest  state  by  means  of  the  lasso, 
and  forwards  him  "  express  "  by  way  of  the  St.  Law 
rence  and  the  lakes  ;  so  that  he  is  landed  at  Chicago 
without  change  of  cloth  or  color.  Then  he  is  put 
into  cast-off  clothes — not  a  particularly  good  fit — is 
instructed  to  subdue  his  rebellious  locks  with  poma 
tum,  and  is  set  to  serve  tables.  He  pretty  soon 
learns  what  a  beefsteak  is,  for  he  eats  three  a  day 
himself.  At  the  same  time  he  learns,  experimentally, 
the  difference  between  wheat  rolls  and  potatoes.  In 
the  course  of  a  week  or  two  he  gets  pretty  familiar 
with  the  necessaries  of  life  ;  and  then  begins  to  beat 


A    WESTERN  HOTEL.  197 

his-  brains  to  learn  the  names  of  the  luxuries  of  the 
table.  He  makes  some  progress  until  he  gets  to  the 
French  dishes.  These  confound  him.  He  don't 
know  French  at  all,  at  all.  If,  at  this  stage  of  his 
novitiate,  you  call  upon  him  for  a  fricassee,  he  brings 
you  the  fricandeau ;  if  you  demand  a  vol-au-vent, 
he  runs  the  whole  length  of  the  table  for  the  pigeon 
pie  ;  if  you  wish  for  a  meringue  glacce,  he  thinks  'tis 
a  plate  of  ice  ;  and  if  you  order  creme  foucttce,  he 
asks  if  you  will  have  it  boiled.  When  you  decide 
upon  roast  beef,  his  question  is,  "  Done,  sir,  or  not 
done  ?  "  Should  you  tell  him,  in  selecting  turkey,  to 
bring  the  drumstick,  he  would  inquire  if  you  meant 
the  stick  he  beats  the  gong  with.  His  ideas  arc  all 
as  wild  as  prairie  colts. 

Still  this  is  Patrick's  palmy  condition,  and  best 
estate  as  a  waiter.  For,  by  the  time  he  has  served 
out  his  apprenticeship,  he  is  ruined  for  his  trade.  It 
takes  a  certain  number  of  months  for  him  to  get  it 
well  into  his  head  that  he  is  in  a  free  country ;  and 
this  idea,  once  fully  comprehended,  is  enough  to  spoil 
the  best  waiter  that  ever  came  from  Ireland.  Hav 
ing  a  few  shillings  rattling  in  his  pocket,  he  realizes 
the  fact  that  he  is  his  own  man.  Then  he  begins  to 
put  on  airs  not  in  keeping  "with  table  waiting  and 
bottle  washing.  While  serving  at  meals,  he  hangs 
carelessly  by  your  chair  back,  with  greasy  fingers ; 


198  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPIC 8. 

so  that  every  day,  after  dinner,  you  have  to  send 
your  coat  to  the  cleaner's  to  get  the  marks  of  the 
beast  rubbed  out  of  it.  He  now  knows  fat  from 
lean,  tough  from  tender,  and  where  the  meat  is 
sweetest ;  but  unless  you  fee  him  every  second  or 
third  morning,  you  will  be  none  the  better  for  his 
increase  of  knowledge.  He  is  disposed  to  be  short 
and  crisp,  as  if  belonging  himself  to  the  upper  crust 
of  society.  He  laughs  behind  your  back,  with 
Jimmy,  at  every  small  practical  joke  that  may  be 
enacted  at  the  tables.  If  a  farmer  asks  for  a  bowl 
of  bread  and  milk  for  his  supper*  and  then  peppers 
it,  first  black,  then  red,  he  laughs  at  that.  Or  if  a 
gentleman,  not  being  able  to  swallow  water  without 
brandy  to  it,  puts  a  glass  of  it  into  his  soup,  he 
laughs  at  that.  Every  leisure  moment  he  gathers 
Jimmy  and  Dick  together  to  chatter  with  them. 
Then,  if  you  call  him,  he  is  suddenly  deaf  as  an 
adder.  He  can  neither  hear  nor  see.  And  when  the 
guests  gradually  leave  the  table,  and  work  slackens, 
I  have  seen  him  lounge  out  on  to  the  balcony,  settle 
himself  in  an  armchair,  cock  his  feet  up  over  the  rail 
ing,  and  quietly  smoke  his  cigar. 

Patrick  is  now  ready  for  a  strike  for  higher 
wages.  At  the  first  word  of  reprimand  he  will 
throw  up  his  place.  He  is  too  independent  to  be 
drilled  into  line,  and  always  takes  the  covers  off  out 


A    WESTERN  HOTEL.  199 

of  time.  Look  out  for  him  when  he  comes  in  with 
his  platters — his  very  importance  will  run  you  down. 
He  is  still  ignorant,  still  awkward  ;  but,  with  ten  dol 
lars  in  his  pocket,  he  is  abashed  by  nothing  in  heaven 
or  earth ;  and  unless  he  can  have  four  beefsteaks  a 
day,  he  threatens  to  go  back  to  Ireland.  The  truth 
is,  that  the  sense  of  freedom  is  so  strong  at  the 
West,  it  spoils  all  men  for  service.  Our  naturaliza 
tion  laws  are  annually  the  ruin  of  a  great  many  ex 
cellent  scullions  and  shoeblacks.  Nature  struggles 
hard  on  their  side,  but  our  republican  institutions 
prevail. 

The  society  one  meets  in  a  Western  hotel  consists 
principally  of  the  gentlemen  of  the  road.  I  mean 
the  railroad  men,  so  called — road  builders  and  road 
owners.  There  are,  also,  the  men  of  real  estate,  who 
deal  in  prairie  and  river  bottoms.  There  are  grain 
and  lumber  merchants.  There  are  speculators  of 
every  kind.  But  all  have  only  one  thought  in  their 
minds.  To  buy,  sell,  and  get  gain — this  is  the  spirit 
that  pervades  this  house,  and  the  country.  The 
chances  of  making  fortunes  in  business  or  speculation 
are  so  great,  that  everybody  throws  the  dice.  Five 
years  hence  every  man  expects  to  be  a  nabob.  I  saw 
in  the  West  no  signs  of  quiet  enjoyment  of  life  as  it 
passes,  but  only  of  a  haste  to  get  rich.  Here  are  no 
idlers.  The  poor — if  any  such  there  be — and  the 


200  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

wealthy  are  all  equally  hard  at  work.  Beyond  the 
Alleghanies  the  day  has  no  siesta  in  it.  Life  is  a 
race,  with  no  chance  of  repose  except  beyond  the 
goal.  The  higher  arts  which  adorn  human  existence 
— elegant  letters,  divine  philosophy — these  have  not 
yet  reached  the  Mississippi.  They  are  far  off.  There 
are  neither  gods  nor  graces  on  the  prairies  yet.  One 
sees  only  the  sower  sowing  his  seed.  No  poets 
inhabit  the  savannas  of  Iowa,  or  the  banks  of  the 
Yellow  Stone.  These  are  the  emigrants'  homes. 
Life  in  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  is,  in  fact,  but 
pioneering,  and  has  a  heavy  pack  to  its  back.  At 
present,  the  inhabitants  are  hewing  wood  and  draw 
ing  water — laying  the  foundations  of  a  civilization 
which  is  yet  to  be,  and  such  as  never  hath  been 
before.  This  they  are  doing  with  an  energy  superior 
to  that  which  built  Carthage  or  Ilium.  Though  men 
do  not  write  books  there,  or  paint  pictures,  there  is 
no  lack,  in  our  Western  world,  of  mind.  The  genius 
of  this  new  country  is  necessarily  mechanical.  Our 
greatest  thinkers  are  not  in  the  library,  nor  the  capi- 
tol,  but  in  the  machine  shop.  The  American  people 
is  intent  on  studying,  not  the  beautiful  records  of  a 
past  civilization,  not  the  hieroglyphic  monuments  of 
ancient  genius,  but  how  best  to  subdue  and  till  the 
soil  of  its  boundless  territories ;  how  to  build  roads 
and  ships ;  how  to  apply  the  powers  of  nature  to  the 


A    WESTERN  HOTEL.  201 

work  of  manufacturing  its  rich  materials  into  forms 
of  utility  and  enjoyment.  The  youth  of  this  country 
are  learning  the  sciences,  not  as  theories,  but  with 
reference  to  their  application  to  the  arts.  Our  edu 
cation  is  no  genial  culture  of  letters,  but  simply 
learning  the  use  of  tools.  Even  literature  is  culti 
vated  for  its  jobs ;  and  the  fine  arts  are  followed  as 
a  trade.  The  prayer  of  this  young  country  is, 
"Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread;"  and  for  the 
other  petitions  of  the  Pater  Noster  it  has  no  time. 
So  must  it  be  for  the  present.  We  must  be  content 
with  little  literature,  less  art,  and  only  nature  in  per 
fection.  We  are  to  be  busy,  not  happy.  For  Ave 
live  for  futurity,  and  are  doing  the  work  of  two 
generations  yet  unborn. 

Everything  is  beautiful  in  its  season.  What  is 
now  wanted  in  this  country  is,  that  all  learned  black 
smiths  stick  to  their  anvils.  N^o  fields  of  usefulness 
can  be  cultivated  by  them  to  so  great  advantage  as 
the  floor  of  their  own  smithy.  In  good  time,  the 
Western  bottom  lands  will  spontaneously  grow 
poets.  The  American  mind  will  be  brought  to  ma 
turity  along  the  chain  of  the  great  lakes,  the  banks 
of  the  Mississippi,  the  Missouri,  and  their  tributaries 
in  the  for  Northwest.  There,  on  the  rolling  plains, 
will  be  formed  a  republic  of  letters,  which,  not  gov 
erned,  like  that  on  our  seaboard,  by  the  great  literary 
9* 


202  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

powers  of  Europe,  shall  be  free  indeed.  For  there 
character  is  growing  up  with  a  breadth  equal  to  the 
sweep  of  the  great  valleys  ;  dwarfed  by  no  factitious 
ceremonies  or  usages,  no  precedents  or  written  stat 
utes,  no  old  superstition  or  tyranny.  The  winds 
sweep  unhindered,  from  the  lakes  to  the  gulf,  from 
the  Alleghanies  to  the  Rocky  Mountains  ;  and  so  do 
the  thoughts  of  the  lord  of  the  prairies.  He  is  be 
holden  to  no  man,  being  bound  neither  head  nor 
foot.  He  is  an  independent  world  himself,  and 
speaks  his  own  mind.  Some  day  he  will  make  his 
own  books,  as  well  as  his  own  laws.  He  will  not 
send  to  Europe  for  either  pictures  or  opinions.  He 
will  remain  on  his  prairie,  and  all  the  arts  of  the 
world  will  come  and  make  obeisance  to  him,  like  the 
sheaves  in  his  fields.  He  will  be  the  American  man, 
and  beside  him  there  will  be  none  else. 

Of  course,  one  does  not  go  to  the  West  to  study 
fashions  or  manners.  The  guests  of  a  Western  hotel 
would  not  bear  being  transported  to  Almack's  with 
out  some  previous  instruction  in  bowing  and  scraping, 
or  some  important  changes  of  apparel.  Foreign 
critics,  travelling  in  pursuit  of  the  comical,  do  not 
fail  of  finding  it  here  in  dress,  in  conversation,  in 
conduct :  for  men  here  show  all  their  idiosyncrasies. 
There  are  no  disguises.  Speech  is  plump,  hearty, 
aimed  at  the  bull's  eye  ;  and  without  elegant  phrase 


A    WESTERN  HOTEL.  20a 

or  compliment.  On  the  road,  one  may  meet  the 
good  Samaritan,  but  not  Beau  Brummell.  Anything 
a  Western  man  can  do  for  you,  he  will  do  with  all 
his  heart ;  only  he  cannot  flatter  you  with  unmeaning 
promises.  You  shall  be  welcome  at  his  cabin ;  but 
he  cannot  dispense  his  hospitality  in  black  coat  and 
white  cravat.  His  work  is  too  serious  to  be  done  in 
patent  leathers.  He  is,  in  outward  appearance,  as 
gnarled  as  his  oaks,  but  brave,  strong,  humane,  with 
the  oak's  great  heart  and  pith.  The  prairie  man  is  a 
six-foot  animal,  broad  shouldered  and  broad  fore- 
headed  ;  better  suited  to  cutting  up  corn  than  cut 
ting  a  figure  in  a  dance,  to  throwing  the  bowie  knife 
than  to  thrumming  the  guitar.  In  Europe,  a  man 
always  betrays  a  consciousness  of  the  quality  of  the 
person  in  whose  presence  he  is  standing.  If  he  face 
a  lord,  it  is  with  submission  ;  if  a  tradesman,  with 
haughtiness  ;  if  a  servant,  with  authority ;  if  a  beg 
gar,  with  indifference.  At  the  West,  two  persons 
meeting  stand  over  against  each  other  like  two  door 
posts.  Neither  gives  signs  of  superiority  or  inferi 
ority.  They  have  no  intention  of  either  flattering  or 
imposing  upon  each  other.  Words  are  not  wasted. 
So  is  the  cut  of  each  other's  coat  a  matter  of  perfect 
indifference.  Probably  the  man  who  is  "  up  for  Con 
gress"  wears  the  shabbier  one  of  the  two.  If  dis 
posed  to  make  a  show  at  all,  the  Western  gent  is 


204  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

more  apt  to  be  proud  of  his  horses  than  his  broad 
cloth.  His  tread  may  occasionally  have  something 
in  it  indicative  of  the  lord  of  the  prairie  ;  but  he  has 
little  or  no  small  nonsense  about  him.  The  only 
exception  is,  perhaps,  a  rather  large-sized  diamond 
pin  in  his  shirt  bosom. 

The  Western  cockney  differs  considerably  from 
him  of  New  York.  He  has  more  of  the  "  ready- 
made-clothing  "  appearance  about  him,  and  wears  his 
hat  drawn  closer  down  over  his  left  eye.  Some 
times  his  cigar  is  in  his  buttonhole,  and  sometimes 
in  his  cheek.  He  chews  tobacco.  He  vibrates  be 
tween  sherry  cobblers  and  mint  juleps.  His  stick  is 
no  slight  ratan,  but  a  thick  hickory  or  buckeye,  and 
has  a  handle  large  enough  to  allow  of  its  being  car 
ried  suspended  from  his  shoulder.  His  watch  chain 
is  very  heavy — lead  inside,  and  gold  out.  He  is 
learned  in  politics,  and  boasts  that  a  United  States 
senator  from  his  State  once  put  his  arm  around  his 
neck,  and  slapped  him  familiarly  between  the  shoul 
ders.  When  he  Avas  in  Washington,  he  messed  with 
the  Western  members  of  the  House ;  and,  as  Botts 
did  with  President  Tyler,  he  slept  with  them.  He 
knows,  personally,  all  the  Western  judges  and  gen 
erals  in  Congress ;  bets  at  all  the  elections ;  and 
makes  money  out  of  them,  let  whichever  party  con 
quer.  He  also  goes  in  the  steamboats  whenever 


A    WESTERN  HOTEL.  205 

there  is  to  be  a  race ;  plays  "  poker  "  on  "board,  and 
lives  on  the  profits.  He  has  a  small  capital  in  wild 
lands,  likewise,  and  owns  a  few  corner  lots  in  Cairo, 
and  other  cities  laid  down  in  his  maps.  These  he 
will  sell  cheap  for  cash.  He  affects  the  man  of  busi 
ness,  and  ignores  ladies'  society.  His  evenings  are 
spent  at  a  club  house,  having  the  name  of  "  Young 
America "  blazoned  on  its  front  in  large  gilt  letters. 
He  dines  at  the  crack  hotel  of  the  town ;  and,  hav 
ing  free  passes  over  all  railroads,  he  keeps  up  his 
importance  in  the  world  by  going  to  and  fro,  and 
putting  on  the  airs  of  a  man  owning  half  the  West 
ern  country. 

A  family  of  Germans  going  by  the  hotel,  one 
morning,  as  I  sat  by  the  window,  struck  me  as  the 
most  remarkable  show  I  had  seen  in  the  West.  It 
was,  indeed,  nothing  new  or  uncommon ;  it  was  no 
pageant.  No  trumpets  were  blown  to  announce  the 
coming  of  this  small  detachment  of  the  army  gen 
eral.  Probably  not  a  soul  in  the  city  noticed  the 
passage  of  this  poor  family,  save  myself.  Yet  in  it 
was  wrapped  up  the  great  American  fact  of  the  pres 
ent  day — the  coming  in  of  European  immigrants  to 
take  possession  of  our  Western  plains.  If  these 
States  did  not  have  lands  for  sale  at  low  prices,  to 
attract  the  desires  of  the  poor  and  the  oppressed  in 
all  the  earth,  they  would  be  of  little  importance 


206  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

among  the  nations.  For  centuries  the  Swiss  have 
had  liberty,  but  no  land ;  and  have  been  a  nullity. 
But  we  hold  a  homestead  for  every  poor  man  in 
Europe ;  and,  therefore,  gathering  his  pennies  to 
gether,  he  is  setting  out  for  America,  as  the  world's 
land  of  promise,  and  the  only  Eden  now  extant. 

The  father  strode  down  the  middle  of  the  street. 
Unaccustomed  to  the  convenience  of  sidewralks  in  his 
own  country,  he  shared  the  way  with  the  beasts  of 
burden,  no  less  heavily  laden  than  they.  His  back 
bent  beneath  its  pack.  In  it  was,  probably,  the  bet 
ter  part  of  his  goods  and  chattels — at  least  the  mate 
rials  for  a  night  bivouac  by  the  roadside.  By  one 
hand  he  held  his  pack,  and  in  the  other  he  carried 
a  large  teakettle.  His  gudewife  followed  in  his 
tracks,  at  barely  speaking  distance  behind.  A  babe 
at  the  breast  was  her  only  burden.  Both  looked 
straight  forward,  intent  only  upon  putting  one  foot 
before  the  other.  In  a  direct  line,  but  still  farther 
behind,  trudged  on,  with  unequal  footsteps,  and  eyes 
staring  on  either  side,  their  firstborn  son,  or  one  who 
seemed  such.  There  were  well  toward  a  dozen  sum 
mers  glowing  in  his  face.  A  big  tin  pail,  contain 
ing,  probably,  the  day's  provisions,  and  slung  to  his 
young  shoulders,  did  not  seem  to  wreigh  too  heavily 
upon  his  spirit.  He  travelled  on  bravely,  and  was 
evidently  trained  to  bear  his  load.  A  younger 


A    WESTERN  HOTEL.  097 

brother  brought  up,  at  a  few  paces'  distance,  the 
rear ;  carrying,  astride  his  neck,  one  more  of  the 
parental  hopes.  It  was  the  most  precious  pack  in 
the  party,  and,  judging  from  the  size  of  the  little 
one's  legs,  not  so  very  much  the  lightest.  It  was  a 
sister,  I  fancy,  that  the  little  fellow  was  bearing  off 
so  gallantly ;  and  very  comfortably  did  she  appear  to 
be  making  the  journey. 

I  watched  this  single  file  of  marchers  Westward 
until  they  disappeared  at  the  end  of  the  avenue. 
They  would  not  stop,  or  turn  aside,  save  for  needful 
food  and  shelter,  until  they  had  crossed  the  Missouri. 
On  the  rolling  prairies  beyond,  the  foot-worn  travel 
lers  would  reach  their  journey's  end,  and,  throwing 
their  weary  limbs  upon  the  flowery  grass,  would  rest 
in  their  new  home,  roofed  by  the  sky  of  Kansas. 
Before  the  frosts  of  autumn  should  set  in,  the  log 
hut  would  be  reared,  and  their  small  household  gods 
set  up  in  it.  In  due  season  the  sod  would  be  turned, 
the  seed  cast  in,  and,  later,  the  harvest  would  make 
glad  all  hearts.  Years  rolling  by,  the  boys  will  grow 
up  freemen,  and  will  make  the  surrounding  acres 
tributary  in  wheat  and  corn,  as  far  as  the  eye  can 
reach.  Forgetting  their  uncouth  patois,  the  children 
will  learn  the  softer  Anglo-Saxon  accents  of  liberty, 
and  take  their  place  among  their  equal  fellows  in  a 
society  where  none  are  bondsmen.  The  daughters, 


208  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

relieved  of  the  hard  necessity  of  toiling  in  the  fields, 
Avill  gradually  grow  up  in  the  delicacy  of  native 
American  beauty,  retaining  only  the  blue  eyes  and 
golden  hair  of  their  German  nativity.  In  the  even 
ing  of  their  days,  the  brave  grandparents  will  sit  in 
the  shadow  of  vines  sprung  from  seeds  piously 
brought  by  them  from  the  ISTeckar  or  the  Rhine  ; 
and  their  sons,  and  their  sons'  sons,  in  the  enjoyment 
of  plenty,  happiness,  and  human  rights,  will  remem 
ber,  with  blessings,  the  original  immigrants,  and 
founders  of  their  name. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

From  JVew   Orleans  to  Havana. 

ON  returning  to  New  Orleans,  I  learned  that  an 
unusually  large  number  of  persons  were  to 
sail  by  the  next  steamer  for  Havana,  and  that  all  the 
staterooms  had  been  engaged.  What  was  to  be 
done  ? — for  go  I  must.  The  ship's  agent  could  only 
suggest  that  I  should  go  on  board,  and  make  applica 
tion  for  accommodations  to  the  purser,  relying  upon 
the  rule  of  the  ship,  First  come,  first  served.  Ac 
cordingly,  to  the  purser  I  immediately  went.  He — a 
half  Spaniard,  as  I  guessed — entered  my  name  as  the 
first  applicant  for  accommodations  next  in  order 
after  the  staterooms ;  whereupon  I  departed  in 
peace. 

"  Queda  listed  con  J)ios"  said  I. 

"  Vaya  listed  con  Dios"  said  he. 

Not  until  after  the  steamer  was  well  under  way 


210  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS, 

did  I  give  the  purser  any  more  trouble.  Then  I 
civilly  asked  for  a  room. 

"  The  ladies,"  he  replied,  "  must  be  accommo 
dated  first.  I  will  give  your  wife  a  berth  in  a  room 
with  two  other  ladies ;  and  when  the  turn  of  the 
gentlemen  comes,  I  will  see  what  I  can  do  for  you." 

The  turn  of  the  gentlemen  came  in  the  course  of 
the  evening  ;  and  what  did  I  get  ?  A  berth  ?  Not 
at  all.  A  sofa  ?  Not  even  that.  They  had  all  been 
previously  given  out — to  the  last  comers. 

"  Can  you  tell  me,  then,  Mr.  Purser,  what  I,  the 
first  comer,  am  to  do  ?  " 

"  You  can  go  to  the  steward,  sir,  who  will  give 
you  a  mattress,  pillow,  and  blanket,  which  you  can 
'locate'  at  pleasure  in  any  part  of  the  ship  not  other 
wise  occupied." 

Now  this  was  not  pleasant ;  more  particularly  so, 
considering  that  I  had  received  from  the  ship's  agent 
a  passage  ticket  purporting,  in  consideration  of 
money  duly  paid,  to  give  me  room,  berth,  and  con 
veyance  from  the  port  of  New  Orleans  to  that  of 
Havana.  Moreover,  I  had  strictly  observed  the  rule 
laid  down  by  said  agent,  to  make  early  application 
for  accommodations  to  the  purser  on  board.  In 
view  of  these  facts,  therefore,  I  resolved  that  I 
would  have  something  more  satisfactory  from  the 
official,  or — sink  the  ship. 


FROM  NEW   ORLEANS   TO  HAVANA.         211 

My  first  broadside  took  effect.  The  purser  at 
once  opened  his  eyes  to  see  what  manner  of  man  I 
was — a  compliment  not  before  paid  me — and,  having 
apparently  satisfied  his  curiosity,  he  straightway  re 
ferred  to  his  book,  wherein  it  appeared  that  sofa  No. 
3,  in  the  ladies'  cabin,  still  remained  unoccupied. 
This  he  gave  me  ;  adding,  with  civil  words,  that  I 
wTould  be  far  more  comfortable  on  that  sofa  than  the 
unhappy  individuals  who  had  been  crowded,  three 
deep,  into  staterooms. 

What  the  purser  said  proved  to  be  true.  At 
least,  I  wTas  far  more  comfortable  during  the  three 
nights  of  the  voyage  than  were  many  of  the  passen 
gers  in  my  immediate  vicinity.  These  lay  about  the 
cabin  in  all  possible  places.  Some  lay  on  the  tables, 
and  some  under  them.  Some  slept  on  trunks,  and 
others  on  the  floor.  My  next  neighbor,  whose  thin 
mattress  had  been  stretched  upon  a  couple  of  large 
Yankee  trunks,  bristling  all  over  with  tall  brass 
knobs,  passed  the  night  in  torment ;  because,  as  he 
said,  the  knobs  pierced  completely  through  the  mat 
tress,  and  some  distance  into  him.  I  believed  it,  for 
his  breathing  was  that  of  a  man  in  an  agony.  From 
time  to  time,  in  the  night,  uneasy  sleepers  might  be 
seen  taking  up  their  beds,  and  walking  to  different 
parts  of  the  cabin,  with  a  view  to  bettering  their 
condition.  One  poor  gentleman,  whose  bed,  for  lack 


212  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

of  mattress,  consisted  of  seven  small  pillows,  trans 
ported  them  from  place  to  place,  tied  up  in  his  blan 
ket  ;  but,  arrange  them  in  whatever  part  of  the  ship 
he  might,  the  pillows  would  get  out  of  position  in 
his  sleep,  and  let  him  down  on  the  floor.  One  night, 
when,  after  unusual  pains,  he  had  succeeded,  past 
midnight,  in  making  himself  comfortable  over  a 
hatchway,  judge  of  his  consternation  on  being  sha 
ken  out  of  the  first  profound  sleep  it  had  been  his 
happiness  to  enjoy  on  shipboard — say,  rather,  his 
indignation  on  being  rudely  shaken  by  the  shoulders, 
and  requested  to  get  up,  because,  forsooth,  the  hold 
below  was  occupied  by  a  waiter,  whom,  at  the  hour 
of  four  in  the  morning,  it  was  necessary  to  let  out 
of  his  prison,  that  he  might  begin  his  day's  work  in 
good  season. 

"  Hope  I  don't  disturb  you,  sir  ?  "  said  Patrick  to 
the  gentleman,  as  the  former  climbed  up  out  of  his 
sub-deck  resting  place  ;  and  adding  politely,  if  famil 
iarly  : 

"  When  you  is  among  the  Romans,  you  knoAV, 
you  must  do  as  the  Romans  docs." 

The  sofa  next  to  mine  was,  early  one  evening, 
taken  possession  of  by  a  traveller  recently  returned 
from  California,  who,  at  bedtime,  refused  to  yield  it 
to  the  rightful  occupant.  In  vain  did  the  latter  shoAv 
his  ticket ;  the  former  declared  that  he  had  paid  for 


FROM  NEW  ORLEANS   TO  HAVANA.          213 

his  passage,  and  had  good  right  to  sit  or  lie  wherever 
or  whenever  he  pleased ;  and,  what  was  more,  he 
refused  to  be  searched  on  the  high  seas  for  the  pur 
pose  of  having  this  claim  verified.  He  would  go  to 
the  bottom  first.  Thereupon,  the  inoffensive  and 
rather  timid  passenger,  having  scrutinized  the  coun 
tenance  of  the  California!!,  and  finding  it  exceed 
ingly  hirsute,  and  the  nose  broken — a  sort  of  half- 
Socrates,  half-alligator  physiognomy —  sorrowfully 
went  his  way,  and  left  his  formidable  enemy  in  pos 
session.  He  did  well ;  for,  in  the  course  of  the  day 
preceding,  the  face  of  this  "  ugly  customer "  hap 
pening  to  pass  before  my  eyes,  I  had,  on  the  instant, 
made  the  observation  that  this  traveller  had,  beyond 
a  doubt,  osseous  deposits  under  the  dura  mater.  It 
was  a  case  of  chronic  suffering  from  the  violence  of 
an  ungovernable  temper. 

The  man  who  waited  on  me  at  table,  by  the  way, 
had  a  similar  ossification,  which  engendered  such  a 
degree  of  ill  nature  as  would  have  completely  unfit 
ted  him  for  his  station,  had  not  his  temper  been  hap 
pily  modified  by  an  original  vein  of  good  humor. 
As  an  example  of  it :  one  day,  the  gentleman  who 
sat  at  the  head  of  the  table,  a  large,  pompous  citizen 
from  Arkansas,  calling  to  the  waiter  in  an  unneces 
sarily  loud  voice  for  a  piece  of  pie,  the  latter,  on 
handing  it  to  him,  said,  in  a  strong,  Hibernian 
accent,  and  tone  scarcely  less  sonorous  : 


214  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

"  Pumpkin  pic,  sir,  by  G-d !  " 

I  managed  to  sleep  very  comfortably  on  my  sofa ; 
but,  having  no  room,  how  was  I  to  make  my  toilet  ? 
On  going  to  the  barber's  for  that  purpose,  I  found 
the  door  locked ;  and  the  barber,  in  reply  to  my 
knocking,  cried  out  that  I  could  not  come  in,  for  he 
"  was  going  to  wash  himself."  However,  I  suc 
ceeded,  every  morning,  in  finding  a  place  for  ablu 
tion  ;  until,  at  last,  I  fell  in  with  a  couple  of  gen 
tlemen,  friends  of  the  purser,  who  Avere  in  pos 
session  of  two  staterooms,  one  of  which  they  used 
for  making  their  toilets  in,  and  where  they  were 
so  polite  as  to  allow  me  to  make  mine.  But,  well 
as  they  were  accommodated,  one  of  their  berths 
was  so  short  that  the  occupant  had  to  lie  with  his 
legs  either  tied  up  in  a  knot,  or  extended  out  of 
the  porthole.  In  fact,  nobody  on  board  had  com 
fortable  quarters,  except  the  officers  of  the  ship, 
who  seemed  to  regard  their  passengers  somewhat  in 
the  light  of  so  many  cattle  being  transported  to  mar 
ket.  As  for  the  captain,  his  whole  duty  appeared  to 
consist,  as  far  as  I  could  observe,  in  putting  on  a 
clean  shirt  every  morning,  and  carefully  refraining 
from  saying  anything  to  anybody.  At  any  rate,  the 
only  time  I  heard  him  make  a  remark,  was  on  one 
occasion,  when  civilly  asked  by  an  innocent  youth, 
evidently  travelling  for  the  sake  of  storing  his  mind 


FROM  NEW  ORLEANS   TO  HAVANA.        215 

with  useful  information,  Avhat  the  distance  was  from 
New  Orleans  to  Havana,  he  unfeelingly  replied  : 

"  As  near  as  can  well  be  calculated,  it  is  a  dis 
tance  of  forty-eight  cigars  and  twelve  brandy  cock 
tails." 

True,  the  appearance  of  the  crowd  at  table  might 
have  suggested  the  idea  that  the  steamer  was  a 
second  Noah's  ark,  full  of  animals ;  for  there  was 
much  fast  eating  on  board.  Every  one  had  to  be  in 
his  place  the  moment  the  gong  sounded,  and  expe- 
ditiously  perform  the  duty  of  mastication  after  get 
ting  there  ;  otherwise  he  would  find  himself  put,  to 
all  intents  and  purposes,  on  short  allowance.  When, 
on  the  first  day,  attempting  to  dine  methodically,  I 
arrived  in  due  course  at  the  roast  beef,  the  waiter 
informed  me  that — to  use  his  own  phrase — it  was  all 
"  paid  out."  Tenderloin  steaks  there  certainly  were 
to  the  last  in  the  ship's  larder  ;  for  I  saw  the  steward 
and  captain's  boy  eating  them  at  breakfast  the  morn 
ing  before  our  arrival.  Somebody,  also — probably 
the  purser — must  have  had  fresh  eggs,  as  I  heard  the 
hens  cackling.  But  one  of  my  neighbors  declared 
to  me,  after  the  very  first  dinner,  that  he  could  eat 
no  more  pie ;  for,  on  cutting  one,  he  had  found  a 
large  stick  of  sugar  candy  in  it,  and  feared  to  try 
another,  lest  it  should  be  made  of  candle  ends.  Nor 
was  it  safe,  in  drinking,  to  go  much  beyond  the  ice 


216  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

water — which,  lam  happy  to  say,  was  both  good 
and  abundant.  But  the  claret  tasted  as  though  it 
had  been  sweetened  with  sugar  of  lead,  to  prevent 
the  acetous  fermentation ;  and  I  heard  the  ship's 
doctor  begging  brandy  of  a  passenger  for  his  pa 
tients,  on  the  ground  that  that  in  the  storeroom  was 
made  of  Wilmington  whiskey. 

But  if  there  was  some  hurry  and  confusion  in  the 
forward  cabin  at  mealtime,  there  were  sufficiently 
odd  things  taking  place  in  the  ladies'  cabin  at  all 
times.  At  the  commencement  of  the  voyage,  I 
heard  gentlemen  politely  requesting  ladies  to  give  up 
staterooms,  to  which  the  latter  had  no  good  claim 
beyond  that  of  present  possession.  One  woman,  not 
fancying  the  upper  berth  which  had  fallen  to  her  lot, 
inasmuch  as  it  would  require  an  inconvenient  amount 
of  climbing  to  get  into  it,  quietly  removed  the  par 
cels  from  the  middle  one,  where  they  had  been  de 
posited  by  the  rightful  occupant,  and  filled  it,  in 
stead,  with  her  own  person.  When  remonstrated 
with  for  such  an  uncivil  proceeding,  she  very  coolly 
gave  for  answer : 

"  But  X  am  just  returned  from  California  !  " 
An  unanswerable  argument.     And,  moreover,  as 
possession  is  always  nine  tenths  of  the  law,  so  it  cer 
tainly  is  quite  equal  to  the  entire  right  to  a  bed.     It 
would   have   required   half  the    force  of  the   ship's 


FROM  NEW  ORLEANS  TO  HAVANA.        217 

crew,  doubtless,  to  get  that  Californian  out  of  the 
berth  of  her  own  choosing ;  and  so,  not  to  make  too 
deplorable  a  scene,  she  was  allowed  to  have  her  own 
way  in  it.  Furthermore,  there  was  a  dashing  South 
western  lady  on  board,  who  could  spit  as  far  as  a 
man.  And  there  was  another,  so  addicted  to  "  dip 
ping" — that  is  to  say,  dipping  the  Althea  root  in  snuff, 
and  then  brushing  the  teeth  with  it — that  her  hus 
band  was  said  to  have  offered  her  a  thousand  dollars 
to  relinquish  the  practice.  She  had  done  so  for  six 
weeks,  but  then  resumed  it.  I  saw  raisins  and 
almonds  carried  away  from  table  in  moire  antique 
pockets,  and  pecan  nuts  picked  to  pieces  on  deck  by 
lingers  jewelled  heavily.  All  the  Spaniards  on  board 
were,  if  the  steward  was  to  be  believed,  half  ne 
groes,  whom  he  would  gladly  have  put  at  a  separate 
table.  There  certainly  was  no  lack  of  traders  of  the 
Jewish  persuasion ;  nor  of  travelling  bagmen,  who 
concealed  their  bags  in  their  trunks  and  valises. 
Moses,  from  the  New  York  Bowery,  dressed  in  gen 
teel  broadcloth,  a  heavy  gold  chain  dangling  from 
his  fob,  and  a  diamond  twinkling  in  his  shirt  bosom, 
walked  the  deck  with  the  air  of  a  gallant  out  on 
adventures,  and  smoked  his  cigars  with  heels  as  high 
in  the  air  as  any  Christian. 

Of  course,  there  were  a  number  of  well-bred  and 

well-behaved   ladies   and  gentlemen  in   this   crowd 
10 


218  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

of  passengers ;  though,  as  everybody  knows,  it  is 
a  severe  test  of  good  manners  in  both  man  and 
woman  to  make  a  voyage  at  sea.  And  this  one,  cer 
tainly,  did  not  fail  to  furnish  illustrations  of  the 
truth,  that,  sometimes,  persons  who  are  accustomed 
to  move  in  the  fashionable  circles  of  society  will, 
when  removed  out  of  them,  both  do  and  say  things 
not  quite  becoming  their  station.  Then,  again,  it  is 
plainly  true,  whether  on  land  or  water,  that  if  aspi 
rants  for  social  position  would  only  take  as  much 
pains  really  to  be  ladies  and  gentlemen  as  they  do  to 
seem  such,  they  would  accomplish  their  purpose  with 
half  the  trouble. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

A  Havana  Hotd. 

ri^HREE  days  of  sailing  brought  me  to  the  ever- 
J-  faithful  island  so  coveted  by  our  filibusters ; 
and,  passing  the  Moro  at  sunrise,  I  entered  the  beau 
tiful  harbor  of  Havana.  As  the  sun  came  up  over 
the  low  hills,  covered  with  forts,  or  tufted  with 
palms  and  orange  trees,  it  threw  a  variegated  light 
over  the  wide  expanse  of  water,  staining  it  like  some 
great  cathedral  window.  And  on  this  gorgeous  mir 
ror  lay  a  multitude  of  ships  of  all  nations — hulks, 
spars,  and  rigging,  to  the  very  ensigns,  all  reflected 
below.  There  were  among  them  ships  of  war,  three- 
deckers,  and  frigates ;  also  the  clipper  ships  of  the 
Yankees,  and  the  heavy  hulls  of  Old  Spain ;  lateen 
sail  boats,  likewise,  and  the  official  wherries  of  the 
custom  house  :  these  latter  gracefully  moving  to  the 
stroke  of  their  ten  oars,  having  a  little  man  in  a 
brass  hatband  sitting  under  an  awning,  and  the  red 


220  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

and  yellow  of  the  royal  colors  languidly  drooping 
over  the  stern. 

The  officer  of  a  Spanish  port  always  proceeds  to 
the  discharge  of  his  duties  with  a  considerable  de 
gree  of  deliberation ;  and  so  it  happened  that  my 
first  experience  of  Cuban  travel  began  with  an  hour 
or  two's  waiting.  During  this  time,  the  ship  be 
came  gradually  surrounded  by  a  fleet  of  small  boats, 
all  offering  their  services  to  the  stranger  for  the  pur 
pose  of  conveying  him  and  his  luggage  to  the  shore  ; 
but  all  waiting,  also,  with  as  much  patience  as  if  that 
were  their  normal  condition.  At  last,  however,  came 
the  little  great  man,  with  his  badges  of  office,  and 
gave  permission  to  the  impatient  crowd  not  only  to 
go  on  shore,  but  to  do  so  without  any  of  the  formali 
ties  insisted  on  in  the  mother  country,  unless  it  were 
that  of  paying  the  boatmen  double  the  rates  which 
by  law  they  were  entitled  to.  A  fee  of  a  couple  of 
dollars  carried  me  comfortably  through  the  custom 
house  ;  and  then  a  commissioner,  a  porter,  and  a  cart 
took  myself  and  effects  to  my  first  Havanese  hotel. 

The  old  established  American  houses  being  full 
of  guests,  we  were  obliged  to  go  to  one  less  known 
to  fame.  Even  here  the  landlady  received  us  with 
the  declaration  that  she  had  not  a  vacant  room  in  the 
house,  having  just  given  up  to  four  gentlemen  the 
chamber  of  her  duenna ;  but  she  would  see,  after 


A   HAVANA  HOTEL.  221 

'  breakfast,  what  she  could  do  for  us.  So  we  waited 
another  couple  of  hours.  By  that  time  the  landlady 
had  concocted  the  proposition  that  la  Seiiora  should 
occupy  a  room  in  common  with  two  or  three  other 
ladies ;  and  el  Senor  should  be  quartered  in  the  best 
corner  of  the  drawing  room  there  was  left.  This, 
however,  was  not  promising  much  for  him,  inasmuch 
as  the  more  retired  and  eligible  half  of  the  room  was 
already  occupied,  and  partitioned  off  by  a  curtain. 
As  we  demurred  at  any  such  arrangement,  we  were 
again  requested  to  wait  until  it  could  be  seen  what 
might  be  done.  We  accordingly  waited.  But,  at 
the  end  of  an  hour  more,  our  patience  was  rewarded 
by  the  gift  of  the  best  room  in  the  house. 

It  was  a  spacious  chamber,  with  walls  from 
twenty  to  thirty  feet  in  height,  papered,  and  much 
gilded.  The  floor  was  laid  in  marble.  The  large 
double  doors,  three  in  number,  were  glazed,  and 
served  as  windows ;  there  being  no  other  opening 
excepting  one  small  one  situated  ten  or  fifteen  feet 
above  the  floor.  Of  furniture  there  was  only  too 
great  a  supply  for  comfort ;  inasmuch  as,  being  the 
property  of  the  previous  occupant,  it  was  every  day 
taken  away,  piece  by  piece,  by  a  servant  who  came 
at  all  hours  for  that  purpose.  Wardrobes  in  rose 
wood,  the  elegant  escritoire,  tables  inlaid  with  pearl, 
gilded  chairs,  Spanish  pictures  hanging  on  the  walls, 


222  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

and  a  great  variety  of  smaller  articles,  all  gradually 
disappeared  and  wasted  away.  In  the  end,  very 
little  was  left,  save  one  of  the  three  rocking  chairs, 
a  cane  sofa,  and  a  be.d  without  a  mattress,  but  spread 
with  white  linen  edged  with  lace,  and  covered  with 
a  mosquito  net  delicate  as  woven  mist,  and  looped  up 
with  blue  satin  ribbons.  The  bed  had  the  advantage 
of  being  suited  to  the  climate  ;  but  its  sacking,  hav 
ing  been  overstretched  by  the  avoirdupois  of  the  pre 
vious  occupant — a  Spanish  lady  past  the  age  of  forty 
— had  finally  assumed  the  form  of  a  hammock. 

But,  floor  and  furniture  being  covered  with  dust, 
our  first  endeavors  were  directed  toward  prevailing 
on  the  landlady  to  send  us  a  servant  equipped  for 
sweeping.  It  was  long  before  one  came,  and  he 
turned  out  to  be  a  mozo  /  for  the  boys  are  chamber 
maids  in  this  country.  At  length,  the  dust  removed, 
we  desired  to  have  the  necessary  materials  for  wash 
ing  brought.  These  came  in  slow  succession,  one  by 
one ;  first  the  pitchers  of  water ;  after  a  quarter  of 
an  hour,  the  basins ;  after  another  quarter,  the  tow 
els.  Last  of  all  appeared  the  slop  pail ;  it  being, 
apparently,  an  article  hard  to  be  found  in  the  house, 
arid  was,  in  fact,  no  more  than  a  large  tin  pan,  which 
evidently  had  seen  service  in  the  kitchen. 

Then,  finally,  we  unlocked  our  trunks ;  but,  alack ! 
the  glass  doors  opening  into  the  drawing  room  were 


A   HAVANA  HOTEL.  223 

too  imperfectly  glazed  to  furnish  the  degree  of  pri 
vacy  desirable  in  a  dressing  room.  A  too  inquisitive 
eye  might  easily  look  through  them.  So  another 
consultation  was  held  with  the  landlady  respecting 
the  possibility  of  curtains.  At  first  she  gazed  at  us 
with  a  face  of  amazement,  saying  the  room  had 
always  been  occupied  by  Spanish  ladies  just  as  it 
was ;  but,  finally,  granted  for  screen  an  extra  towel. 
Thereupon  we  dressed  for  dinner  ;  for  it  was  time  to 
do  so. 

After  a  voyage  by  sea,  we  wished,  of  course,  to 
have  the  services  of  a  laundress.  But  nobody  in  the 
house,  from  mistress  to  maid,  could  tell  us  how  they 
were  to  be  obtained.  The  former  declared  that 
ladies  were  in  the  habit  of  sending  their  linen  by 
steamer  to  Charleston  to  be  washed !  It  could,  in 
deed,  be  sent  out  of  the  city ;  but  it  would  never  be 
brought  back  again — unless  you  went  for  it  yourself 
in  a  volante.  This  was  sufficiently  discouraging ; 
though  not  enough  so  to  make  one  lose  all  confidence 
in  his  own  ^vits. 

Accordingly,  I  determined  on  sallying  out  of  the 
house  in  search  of  a  laundress ;  and,  after  much 
inquiry,  found  an  excellent  one  in  Lucy,  a  black 
woman  living  in  the  Calle  Lamparilla,  who  not  only 
washes  linen  very  well,  and  for  reasonable  compensa 
tion,  but  is  herself  a  dowager,  valued  at  some  twenty 


224  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

or  thirty  thousand  dollars,  more  or  less,  besides  being 
largely  endowed  with  the  gift  of  the  gab.  In  order 
to  persuade  so  independent  a  washerwoman  to  lend 
me  her  services,  I  had,  of  course,  to  begin  with 
praising  everything  in  Havana.  And  I  began  with 
the  plantains. 

"  Gracious  goodness  !  "  broke  in  Lucy,  "  noth 
ing  so  good  in  dis  world  as  plantains.  Fry  'em 
when  dey  full  ripy.  Must  have  fresh  pork  fat, 
Seiior.  Oh,  la !  I  tell  you  dey  too  good  for  nig 
gers  ! — ha !  ha !  ha !  " 

In  a  hotel,  an  inefficient  office  makes  an  insubor 
dinate  kitchen.  So,  in  ours,  the  servants  were  all  the 
time  at  sixes  and  sevens  ;  and  there  existed  a  chronic 
row  in  the  household.  At  best,  having  their  heads 
turned  by  the  excessive  number  of  guests,  the  ser 
vants  could  scarcely  put  two  ideas  together — not 
even  such  simple  ones  as  those  of  coffee  and  sugar. 
Still,  the  meals  provided  were  more  palatable  than 
could  have  been  expected  under  the  circumstances. 
The  bread,  as  everywhere  in  Cuba,  was  excellent. 
Good  oil  was  better  than  bad  butter  would  have 
been  ;  and  on  fried  rice  and  plantains  anybody  ought 
to  be  able  to  make  a  pleasant  breakfast.  A  shadow 
of  doubt,  it  must  be  allowed,  sometimes  rested  on 
the  freshness  of  the  eggs ;  as  when,  one  morning, 
the  waiter,  instead  of  executing  his  order,  came  back 


A  HAVANA   HOTEL.  225 

with  the  significant  declaration,  "The  eggs  won't 
poach  to-day,  Sefior !  "  There  was  a  liberal  supply 
of  Catalonian  wine  ;  though  this,  to  be  sure,  did  not 
sometimes  make  its  appearance  on  the  table  until 
after  everybody  had  drunk  himself  full  of  water. 
And,  finally,  the  parlor  had  to  serve  for  dining  hall 
as  well  as  bedroom.  The  guests  were  mostly  Yan 
kees  ;  and  among  them,  as  it  happened,  were  half  a 
dozen  newly  married  couples,  who  had  come  to  the 
island  for  the  purpose  of  enjoying  their  honeymoon. 
But  a  row  of  more  disconsolate  brides,  as  they  sat  at 
table  the  day  after  ray  arrival,  I  had  never  seen  be 
fore.  They  appeared  at  breakfast  with  from  ten 
to  twenty  flea  or  mosquito  bites  on  necks,  arms, 
and  faces  ;  and  every  one  of  them  looking  as 
though  she  might  have  spent  the  whole  night  in 
a  fight  with  these  small  diaUos.  No  doubt  they 
had  so  passed  the  time,  excepting  the  hour  or  two 
occupied  in  rubbing  the  Cuban  starch  out  of  their 
night  dresses.  Those .  of  them  who  had  rooms  on 
the  street,  complained  that  they  could  not  sleep, 
if  for  no  other  reason,  on  account  of  the  noise  made 
by  the  watchmen,  who  all  night  long  kept  crying  the 
hours,  down  to  the  very  halves  and  quarters.  And 
in  the  early  morning  the  cries  of  these  worthy  guar 
dians  of  repose  were  succeeded  by  the  crowing  of 
cocks,  the  barking  of  dogs,  the  creaking  of  carts, 
10* 


226  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

and  the  chattering  of  a  population  which  gets  out  of 
bed  before  sunrise.  Much  as  ever  did  these  expect 
ants  of  matrimonial  bliss  escape  the  necessity  of 
making  their  own  beds,  and  of  dusting  their  cham 
bers.  Nor,  if  they  transgressed  Cuban  etiquette 
so  far  as  to  appear  in  the  streets  on  foot,  did  they 
fail  to  be  most  unmercifully  stared  at.  In  fact,  so 
many  batteries  of  black  eyes  were  unmasked  upon 
them  wherever  fhey  showed  themselves  in  public, 
that  they  came  home  pretty  well  disconcerted,  and 
were  even  afraid,  considering  the  number  of  Spanish 
gentlemen  who  sat  smoking  in  the  drawing  room,  to 
stay  in  the  house  without  their  husbands.  I  heard 
of  India  shawls  being  promised  some  of  them,  on 
their  return  to  the  States,  if  they  would  not  be  home 
sick.  And  in  one  case,  where  such  promises  of 
future  bliss  did  not  suffice  to  dissipate  present  gloom 
and  terror,  money  was  put  in  the  fair  one's  pockets, 
and  she  was  sent  off  to  buy  Spanish  fans  and  laces. 
This  expedient  probably  brought  relief. 

While  I  think  of  it — there  was  another  couple 
of  American  ladies  in  Havana  at  the  time  of  my 
visit,  who  were  promised  by  their  husbands  each  a 
half  dozen  pineapple  dresses,  on  condition  that  they 
would  spend  six  weeks  on  the  island  without  pout 
ing.  So,  drying  their  eyes,  they  determined  to  hunt 
the  town  for  these  precious  fabrics.  They  had  been 


A  HAVANA  HOTEL.  227 

told — probably  by  some  gentleman  who  was  a  bit  of 
a  wag — that  the  best  pineapples  were  to  be  Jiad  at 
Sagrado's.  And  for  Sagrado's  they  accordingly 
set  off. 

Now  Don  Juan  de  Dios  de  Escalera  de  Sagrado 
was  one  of  the  principal  bankers  of  the  town,  be 
sides  being  a  bachelor  of  long  standing.  So,  when 
the  two  fine  ladies  from  the  States,  attended  by  their 
flunky  to  act  as  interpreter,  on  being  shown  into  the 
presence  of  this  well-known  financier  and  old  Chris 
tian — cristiano  viejo — asked  to  see  his  pineapples,  he 
replied,  opening  his  eyes  a  little  wider  than  usual, 
that  he  had  no  pineapples. 

"  Oh,  yes  !  "  rejoined  they  ;  "  you  surely  have 
pineapples  !  We  were  told  you  had  the  very  best  in 
town." 

By  this  time  the  banker  began  to  feel  a  little 
vexed  inwardly,  as  well  as  perplexed  to  imagine 
what  could  have  brought  a  couple  of  fashionable 
ladies  to  his  bureau  on  such  an  errand,  at  the  late 
hour  of  five  o'clock,  when  he  was  just  on  the  point 
of  going  to  eat  his  dinner.  Therefore,  adopting  as 
decided  a  tone  of  voice  as  his  politeness  would  admit 
of,  he  said  to  them  : 

"  Ladies,  you  are  mistaken  in  the  man." 

This  very  explicit  declaration  brought  the  two 
visitors  to  their  senses.  Looking  each  other  in  the 


228  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

face,  and  suspecting  that  something  was  wrong 
somewhere,  they  now  turned  to  the  banker  with  the 
half  assertion,  half  apology  : 

"  Then  it  must  be  some  other  Sagrado.  Please 
inform  us  where  we  can  find  the  shop  of  the  Sagrado 
who  sells  pineapples." 

"  I  beg  pardon.  No  man  of  my  name  has  ever 
sold  pineapples  in  Havana ! "  firmly  retorted  the 
Don,  in  an  agony  of  rage,  which  it  took  all  his  high 
bred  gallantry  to  suppress. 

And,  with  these  words,  he  gravely  bowed  the 
fair  intruders  out  of  his  bureau — who,  for  their  part, 
felt,  on  reaching  the  bottom  of  the  stairway,  as  if 
they  had  been  let  down  from  a  considerable  eleva 
tion. 

Having  seen  about  enough  of  life  in  this  Havan- 
ese  hotel,  I  was  just  on  the  point  of  making  up  my 
mind  to  move  to  a  house  out  of  town,  when  the  land 
lord  very  opportunely  raised  the  rent  on  me.  As  I 
appeared  to  be  enjoying  myself  exceedingly,  extract 
ing  almost  as  much  satisfaction  out  of  everything 
that  went  wrong  as  out  of  everything  that  went 
right,  he  probably  thought  that  I  was  anchored  in 
his  bedroom  for  the  remainder  of  the  season,  and 
suddenly  ran  the  price  of  my  lodgings  up  to  ten  dol 
lars  per  day.  The  excuse  alleged  for  this  impropri 
ety  was,  that  the  room  was  big  enough  to  hold  four 


A  HAVANA  HOTEL.  229 

persons  comfortably.  And,  moreover,  it  was  de 
clared  that  such  four  persons  were  impatiently  wait 
ing  to  take  possession.  Mythic  personages,  I  had 
not  a  doubt.  However,  I  did  not  stop  to  debate  the 
question  with  him,  but  told  him,  at  once,  that  the 
room  was  entirely  at  his  disposition — a  la  disposition 
de  listed.  There  was  a  heavy  and  sudden  fall  in  the 
landlord's  countenance  when  I  informed  him  that  I 
should  no  longer  consider  his  house  as  my  own. 
But  I  was  inexorable  ;  for  who  likes  to  have  the  rent 
raised  over  him  ?  Yet  I  rather  suggested  than  ex 
pressed  my  congratulations  that  he  should  have  such 
a  convenient  number  of  candidates  in  readiness  for 
the  premises  to  be  vacated  ;  and  also  sincerely  wished 
in  my  heart  that  these  four  persons,  being  Christians, 
might  not  all  be  compelled  to  sleep  in  that  single 
bed ;  still  less  that  any  of  them  should  be  lodged  on 
the  cane  sofa,  inasmuch  as,  it  having  no  curtains, 
they  would  certainly  be  devoured  by  the  mosquitos. 
But  I  will  do  the  room  the  justice  to  say,  that,  as 
there  were  no  mats  nor  rugs  on  the  marble  floor,  so 
there  were  no  fleas  under  them.  Not  even  in  the 
bed  wrere  there  any  fleas ;  so  that  we  were  not 
obliged,  as  in  Old  Spain,  to  spend  half  the  night, 
taper  in  hand,  diligently  searching  for  these  animal 
cules  ;  nor  did  we  therefore  suffer  the  least  incon 
venience  from  having  forgotten  to  take  with  us  to 


230  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

the  ever-faithful  isle   what  little   remained   of   our 
Italian  flea-powder. 

The  next  thing  to  be  done,  then,  was  to  get  out 
of  the  house.  But  to  leave  a  Cuban  hotel  against 
the  wishes  of  the  landlord,  is  like  weighing  an 
anchor  which  has  sunk  several  fathoms  deep  into  the 
mud.  In  this  instance,  Boniface,  after  due  reflec 
tion,  found  himself  utterly  unable  to  inform  me  of 
any  method  whereby  I  could  leave  his  house  in  sea 
son  to  go,  next  day,  to  Matanzas.  In  the  art  of 
speeding  the  parting  guest  he  seemed  a  perfect 
dunce.  He  did  not  know  whether  a  porter  could  be 
engaged  at  so  late  an  hour  of  the  evening,  it  being 
then  seven  o'clock  ;  but  he  would  ask  the  chief  boy, 
or  mozo.  Going  out,  accordingly,  he  soon  brought 
in  the  mozo,  who,  after  sitting — or  rather  standing — 
upon  the  question,  submitted  to  him  with  the  gravity 
of  a  most  learned  judge,  finally  came  to  the  conclu 
sion  that  he  did  not  know  whether,  at  so  late  an 
hour  of  the  evening,  a  porter  could  be  engaged,  or 
not.  The  porters  generally  left  town  for  the  coun 
try  at  sundown.  Moreover,  the  landlord  was  not 
sure  that  a  volante,  though  paid  over  night  the  price 
of  two  dollars  and  twelve  cents  for  taking  me,  with 
out  baggage,  to  the  railway  station  the  next  morn 
ing,  could  be  relied  upon  for  keeping  his  appoint 
ment.  The  mozo  suggested  that,  considering  that 


A   HAVANA   HOTEL.  231 

• 

the  train  was  to  leave  at  half  past  five  o'clock,  the 
volante  might,  very  likely,  be  a  few  minutes  too  late. 
Nor,  finally,  could  either  master  or  man  say  that,  in 
their  opinion,  it  would  be  entirely  safe  to  send  the 
trunks  off  at  so  early  an  hour.  They  might  be  sto 
len  on  the  way.  Indeed,  the  mozo  seemed  to  think 
the  chances  were  about  three  to  one  that  they  would 
be  stolen,  unless  he  himself  followed  the  porter. 

Here,  then,  was  a  small  Gordian  knot ;  but  one 
very  easily  cut  by  my  dismissing  both  of  my  ad 
visers,  and  coming  to  the  conclusion  to  take  lodgings 
for  a  few  days  in  the  pretty  suburb  of  the  Cerro. 
Thence,  it  was  to  be  hoped,  the  departure  for  Matan- 
zas  might  be  more  feasible. 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

My  First  Volante. 

BUT  I  did  not  leave  the  city  for  the  suburbs 
before  having  seen  and  enjoyed  it.  And 
among  the  things  first  to  be  enjoyed  in  Havana  is, 
of  course,  the  volante.  The  drive  I  took  on  the  day 
of  my  arrival  being  not  for  pleasure,  but  for  busi 
ness,  was,  indeed,  without  ceremony,  or  such  parade 
as  one  delights  in  on  the  Havanese  paseos.  On  this 
occasion  I  contented  myself  with  ordering  the  mozo 
to  get  a  carriage  from  the  public  square,  telling  him 
to  take  the  first  and  best  one  he  should  find. 

"  How  much  is  it  the  pleasure  of  the  Seiior  to 
give  for  the  hour  ?  "  inquired  the  boy,  palmleaf  in 
hand. 

"  What  is  the  legal  fee  ?  "  I  asked,  in  reply. 

"  Fifty  cents,  Seiior  ;  but  they  ask  more." 

"  Very  well ;  I  will  give  a  dollar." 

The  boy  went  away,  and,  returning,  said  there 


MY  FIRST   VOLANTS.  233 

was  a  negro  in  boots  at  the  door  ;  but  he  would  not 
go  for  a  dollar.  Thereupon  word  was  sent  to  him 
that  he  might  depart  in  peace — que  el  vaya  con 
Dios j  and  the  boy  was  directed  to  find  another 
charioteer,  who  would  be  contented  with  double  the 
fee  allowed  by  law. 

This  time  he  came  back  bringing  with  him  a 
most  sorry-looking  black  boy  in  slippers.  His  vo- 
lante  would  answer  the  purpose  ;  and  so  would  his 
horse,  albeit  the  animal's  tail  was  braided,  and  tied 
up  over  his  back  to  the  saddle  ;  but  the  fellow's  coat 
was  rather  the  worse  for  wear,  and  was  neither  yel 
low  nor  scarlet,  but  of  a  dull  middle  tint,  produced 
by  long  exposure  to  the  rays  of  the  sun ;  and  his 
feet  were  in  slippers,  without  stockings.  I  observed, 
however,  that  he  possessed  a  pair  of  well-developed 
heels,  stoutly  shod  with  spurs,  besides  having  a 
tough  thong  in  his  hand  capable  of  doing  good  ser 
vice.  And  so,  without  stopping  to  reflect  upon  the 
consequences,  I  pleased  myself  with  the  idea  of 
making  a  dash  through  the  town  in  the  vehicle  of 
this  comically  accoutred  Jehu. 

This  I  accordingly  did.  The  fellow  drove  pell- 
mell  through  the  narrow  streets,  running,  at  the  very 
first  corner,  into  an  ox  cart.  But  this  gave  an  oppor 
tunity  for  observing  the  fine  bullocks  which  were 
harnessed  by  the  head  to  the  tongue  of  the  vehicle, 


234  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

having  broadly  branching  horns,  large,  dark  eyes, 
and  the  beautiful  dun  color  of  the  oxen  of  Italy. 
Getting  extricated  from  the  cart,  my  driver  cracked 
his  whip  smartly  around  the  haunches  of  his  tough 
little  steed  ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  made  his  bow  to 
a  big  negress  that  went  by,  holding  her  petticoat  up, 
and  puffing  away  at  an  enormous  cigar,  which  she 
grasped  between  her  ivory  as  she  grinned.  But  if 
my  man  tore  through  the  streets  and  lanes  at  the  top 
of  his  bent,  he  had,  nevertheless,  to  turn  the  corners 
gently,  inasmuch  as  both  horse  and  rider  were  sev 
eral  yards  in  advance  of  the  carriage.  Once  on  the 
way,  the  fellow  was  so  unlucky  as  to  overtake  a 
funeral  procession  ;  and,  his  horse  being  at  the  time 
pretty  well  blown,  he  seemed  to  be  very  willing  to 
accept  the  excuse  for  bringing  down  the  animal's 
speed  to  a  walk ;  and  so,  for  a  short  distance,  we  fell 
into  line,  as  if  we  were  the  hindmost  weepers,  and 
constituted  tlie  very  cue  of  the  mourning. 

On  this  drive,  my  attention  happening  to  be  par 
ticularly  attracted  to  the  colored  part  of  the  popula 
tion,  I  observed  that  they  were  decidedly  superior  in 
physical  structure  to  the  blacks  of  our  Southern 
States.  I  saw  many  tall  men  and  strapping  ne- 
gresses.  Several  of  the  latter  had  their  arms  set 
off  with  bracelets  washed  in  gold,  and  their  fingers 
with  enormous  rings  of  similar  material.  Others 


MY  FIRST   VOL  ANTE.  235 

wore  showy  coral  earrings,  besides  stones  more  or 
less  precious ;  while  nearly  all  were  elaborately 
tatooed  d  la  mode  Africaine.  In  addition  to  this 
finery,  the  head  was  generally  wound  about  with 
gaudy  handkerchiefs  ;  but  they  sported  no  crinoline 
of  any  kind  beyond  a  single  loose  gown.  A  cigar, 
however,  long  drawn  and  portly,  graced  the  lips  of 
the  principal  wenches,  who  knew  how  to  carry  it 
cocked  up  as  jauntily  as  any  hidalgo,  and  were  also 
expert  in  the  art  of  holding  it  between  their  teeth 
through  all  their  chattering,  grinning,  and  even  ha- 
ha-ing.  Several  neatly  dressed  and  respectable-look 
ing  dames  of  color,  being  apparently  of  the  higher 
class  of  house  servants,  I  met  airing  themselves  in 
volantes,  and  looking  down  upon  the  world  in  the 
streets  from  a  point  of  elevation  not  a  whit  lower 
than  was  my  own.  Indeed,  if  there  be  any  truth  in 
Don  Jose  Francisco  y  Rodriguez,  Oficial  de  la  Real 
Hacienda,  these  slaves  were  as  well  coached  as  the 
most  powerful  potentate  could  be.  "  Pues,"  says 
this  Havanese  Ford,  in  his  learned  guide  book, 
"  puesto  uno  de  estos  carruages  en  el  paseo,  en  nada 
se  diferencia  del  mas  fuerte  potentado,  tanto  in  librea 
como  en  adornos  ;  y  lo  que  es  mas,  lo  modico  de  sus 
prccios."  *  One  or  two  colored  gentlemen,  also,  I 

*  Translation  :  "  Since,  in  one  of  these  carriages  on  the  pasco, 
one  does  not  differ  from  the  most  powerful  potentate,  whether  in 
livery  or  trappings  ;  and,  what  is  more,  the  price  is  moderate." 


236  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

passed  in  the  course  of  my  drive,  dressed  so  com 
pletely  according  to  the  latest  fashions,  and  demean 
ing  themselves  with  such  perfect  propriety,  that  I 
was  at  no  loss  to  recognize  in  them  the  free  negro, 
and  possessor  of  a  handsome  little  fortune. 

In  good  time,  my  postilion,  sans  toggery,  brought 
me  safely  back  to  the  hotel.  I  was  thankful  for  it — 
unusually  so — because,  in  twice  crossing  a  railroad, 
the  thought  occurred  to  me  that,  the  shafts  of  the 
carriage  being  of  such  a  ridiculous  length,  the  train 
might  smash  me  long  after  my  man  and  horse  had 
got  over  the  track,  and  were  entirely  out  of  danger. 


CHAPTER    XXII. 
Dolce  Far  Niente. 

THERE  is  a  peculiar,  indescribable  charm  in  life 
on  this  island.  The  air  possesses  an  extraordi 
nary  degree  of  vitality,  which  invigorates  the  human 
system,  and  makes  all  the  wheels  of  life  move  with 
less  friction,  and  more  regularity.  Though  a  warm 
climate,  one  feels  braced  by  it.  Happy,  he  knows 
scarcely  why,  the  stranger  finds  that  he  requires  but 
few  resources  for  his  entertainment.  To  sit  in  the 
shade  of  the  palm  trees,  to  lean  over  a  balcony 
which  faces  the  street,  to  recline  in  an  easy  chair  in 
rooms  with  floors  of  marble,  high  ceilings,  and  doors 
and  windows  standing  wide  open,  is  as  pleasant 
amusement  as  one  need  wish  for.  It  is  as  good  as  a 
play  in  other  countries,  to  look  down  into  any  Cuban 
courtyard,  where  the  business  of  a  great  household 
is  being  conducted ;  as,  for  example,  into  that  of  my 
Havana  hotel,  in  one  corner  of  which  a  small  wine- 


238  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

merchant  stored  his  bottles  and  boxes ;  while  on  a 
table,  in  another,  half  a  dozen  cross-legged  tailors 
plied  their  needles  in  mending  old  clothes.  The 
streets  of  the  town  abound  in  odd,  comical  sights ; 
and  the  quays  are  an  ever-interesting  spectacle, 
where  one  witnesses  the  lading  and  the  unlading  of 
the  ships  of  all  nations.  All  men  so  enjoy  life  in 
this  tropical  city,  that  they  rise  early  in  the  morning, 
and  go  to  their  work,  or  their  pleasure,  in  the  cool 
of  the  day.  For  every  early  morning,  when  the  air 
is  fresh  and  exhilarating,  is  like  a  small  cup  of  the 
elixir  of  life.  The  evenings,  likewise,  are  serene, 
effulgent  with  stars,  or  full  of  moonlight.  Indeed, 
in  this  Eden,  as  in  that  one  originally  prepared  for 
the  enjoyment  of  man,  it  is  the  evening  and  the 
morning  which  make  the  day.  At  noon,  when  the 
sun  has  half  done  his  task,  there  is  a  short  pause  in 
the  life  both  of  man  and  beast.  Business  rests  for 
an  hour  after  its  fatigue ;  pleasure  takes  its  siesta ; 
and  the  hum  of  the  great,  noisy  city  is  scarcely  audi 
ble.  But  the  brief  noontide  past,  all  is  astir  again 
until  the  time  of  the  going  down  of  the  sun.  The 
dinner  is  by  no  means  a  great  event  in  the  Spaniard's 
day  ;  it  being  a  frugal  repast,  made  cheerful  by  only 
a  slight  draught  of  wine.  The  stranger  is  not  asked 
to  share  the  simple  meal ;  but  is  entertained,  if  at 
all,  with  a  cigar,  or  a  cup  of  chocolate,  or  even  a 


DOLCE  FAR  NIENTE.  239 

glass  of  orange  water.  At  evening,  however,  the 
Habafiero  is  capable  of  performing  many  kind  offices 
for  you ;  such  as  sending  his  volante  for  you  to  take 
a  drive  on  the  paseo /  bidding  you  to  the  tertulia  / 
offering  you  a  seat  in  his  box  at  the  opera ^  accom 
panying  you  to  the  plaza  to  hear  the  music,  to  Do- 
menica's  to  eat  ices,  and  to  the  Captain-General's 
when  the  latter  gives  a  ball  or  fandango.  So  easy  is 
it  to  entertain  and  be  entertained  in  this  Gan  Eden. 

But,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  it  is  no  easy  matter 
for  most  Yankees  Avho  visit  the  island  to  fall  into 
this  simple,  natural  way  of  living.  Immediately 
after  my  arrival,  the  observation  was  forced  on  me, 
that  the  greater  part  of  the  Americans  staying  at  the 
hotels  were  busy  in  inquiring  how  they  should  be 
able  to  get  away  from  the  country  which  they  had 
come  to  visit.  It  was  truly  a  hard  lesson  for  them 
to  learn  the  dolce  far  niente.  Having  hastily  seen 
everything  in  Havana  that  could  be  seen  hastily, 
they,  at  the  end  of  two  or  three  days,  knew  not 
what  to  do  with  themselves,  unless  it  were  to  watch 
the  coming  and  going  of  the  American  steamers,  to 
go  hither  and  thither  in  search  of  American  news 
papers,  to  talk  over  and  over  again  among  themselves 
the  story  of  their  voyage  to  the  island,  to  discuss  the 
question  of  routes,  the  hours  of  the  trains  on  the 
railroad,  and  the  days  of  departure  of  the  coast- 


240  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

going  steamers.  They  smoked  their  cigars  with  a 
certain  degree  of  impatience,  and  were  too  soon  at 
the  end  of  them.  They  were  in  perpetual  motion, 
driving,  walking,  boating ;  and  found  their  seats 
uneasy,  even  though  they  were  placed  beneath  palm 
trees  and  the  stars  of  the  tropics. 

A  portion  of  this  restlessness  was  owing,  no 
doubt,  to  the  very  poor  accommodations  afforded  by 
the  public  inns,  at  that  season  overrun  with  guests. 
To  this  cause,  especially,  was  to  be  attributed  the 
discontent  of  the  fair  sex  ;  for  the  landladies  unfeel 
ingly  separated  those  whom  God  had  joined  together, 
not  even  paying  the  slightest  regard  to  the  circum 
stance  that  some  of  them  were  newly  married. 
Hence  it  happened  that  most  of  the  American  visit 
ors  were  kept  pretty  busily  employed  during  the 
winter,  first  in  finding  lodgings,  and  afterward  in 
changing  them.  They  were  to  be  met  with  every 
day  in  hot  pursuit  of  cool  apartments.  They  were 
constantly  looking  for  clean  rooms,  clean  beds,  clean 
tablecloths — and,  alas !  finding  none.  It  was  one 
perpetual  round,  a  vicious  circle,  from  the  fryingpan 
into  the  fire,  and  back  from  the  fire  into  the  frying- 
pan  ;  their  chief  consolation,  meanwhile,  being  to 
compare  the  different  degrees  of  elevation  at  which 
they  found  the  thermometer  standing  in  these  two 
different  situations. 


DOLCE  FAX  NIENTE.  241 

It  may,  indeed,  be  a  little  too  much  to  expect 
that  men  should  be  perfectly  happy  when  so  unsatis 
factorily  lodged ;  still,  no  one  who  knows  anything 
about  Spanish  countries  ever  goes  to  them  for  the 
sake  of  the  pleasure  to  be  derived  from  sleeping  in 
their  beds.  Every  traveller  should  make  up  his  mind 
not  to  find  fault  with  Spanish  sacking  because  it  is 
not  a  mattress ;  and,  especially,  never  to  pick  quar 
rels  with  the  fleas.  All  that  he  can  reasonably  look 
for,  is  a  couch  with  a  mosquito  net,  windows  without 
glass,  doors  without  locks  or  latches,  water  enough 
to  bathe  the  end  of  the  nose  and  the  tips  of  the 
fingers,  and  a  towel  just  big  enough  to  wipe  them 
dry.  Whatever  he  may  find  over  and  above  this,  is 
so  much  good  luck,  to  be  accepted  with  thankfulness, 
and  paid  for  with  extra  pesetas.  In  none  of  the 
dominions  of  Her  Most  Catholic  Majesty  can  the 
traveller  expect  to  find  the  roast  beef  juicy  ;  and  he 
must  visit  them  with  his  mind  made  up  to  eat  torti 
llas.  Cheerfully  should  he  accept  oil  for  butter,  and 
a  stone  for  cheese.  But,  having  good  bread  and 
chocolate,  a  plenty  of  eggs,  chickens,  rice,  fried  plan 
tains,  and  sweet  oranges,  surely  any  man  of  a  sound 
mind  and  stomach  may  be  content.  What  is  lacking 
in  some  of  his  comforts,  will  be  more  than  made 
good  by  the  air  fresh  from  heaven  which  he  breathes, 

by  the  sun  shining  by  day  and  by  the  moon  and  stars 
11 


242  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS, 

shining  by  night.  In  case  of  a  "  norther,"  finally,  he 
can  sufficiently  comfort  himself  by  simply  lighting 
his  cabanos. 

That  day,  certainly,  may  well  be  called  a  happy 
one,  which  is  brought  to  a  close  in  the  Plaza  de 
Armas.  You  go  there  between  the  hours  of  eight 
and  nine  to  listen  to  the  music  of  the  band — one  of 
the  largest  and  best  in  America — which  plays  nightly 
before  the  palace  of  the  Captain-General.  Dressed 
_n  fine  linen,  you  sit  in  perfect  comfort  of  body  in  the 
open  air,  with  nothing  between  you  and  the  stars  but 
palm  leaves.  The  air  is  perfectly  pure,  save  that  it 
may  have  in  it  the  scent  of  flowers ;  for  it  is  in  the 
midst  of  a  garden,  beautiful  with  tropical  plants  and 
shrubs,  that  you  take  your  seat  to  listen  to  the  sweet 
music  of  overtures,  symphonies,  and  waltzes.  If, 
leaving  your  chair,  you  stroll  through  the  grounds, 
the  perfume  changes  from  rose  to  violet,  from  orange 
blossoms  to  the  sweet-scented  shrub,  from  heliotropes 
to  geraniums,  pinks,  and  mignonette.  The  gaslights 
show  the  various  hues  of  the  flowers,  and  are  re 
flected  from  the  polished  surface  of  innumerable 
green  leaves.  Even  without  the  gas  you  can  mark 
the  flashing  of  the  Spanish  eye  as  you  pass  along  the 
ranks  of  the  proinenaders,  and  distinguish  well 
enough  the  features  of  the  fair  Creoles  by  the  light 
of  their  smiles.  If  tired  of  the  beautiful  promenade 


DOLCE  FAR  NIENTE.  243 

between  these  hedges  of  rose  and  orange,  and  be 
neath  the  graceful  palmtops  which  seem  to  reach  the 
sky,  you  can  take  a  volante,  and,  with  a  friend  by 
your  side,  sit  chatting  in  its  easy  seat  during  the  in 
tervals  of  music ;  and  when,  at  last,  you  have  lis 
tened  to  the  strains  of  the  final  march,  until  they  are 
lost  in  the  distant  streets,  as  the  band  retires  to  its 
barracks,  you  can  drive  to  Domenica's,  which  is  hard 
by,  and  taste  an  ice. 

Certainly,  you  don't  mind  being  cheated  out  of 
sixpence.  For  the  waiter,  seeing,  at  first  look,  that 
you  wear  the  American  whisker  under  your  chin,  or 
have  English  shoes  on,  will  Jew  you  to  that  extent ; 
and  there  is  no  help  for  it.  But  the  joke  of  paying 
sixpence  black  mail  to  the  Domenica  you  enjoy  no 
less  than  the  ice.  It  is,  in  fact,  quite  as  good.  And, 
generally,  in  Cuba,  any  person  for  whose  services 
you  have  occasion  will  expect  from  sixpence  to  half 
an  ounce  for  so  much  as  looking  at  you.  You  can 
not  begin  to  turn  around  without  its  costing  you  a 
piece  of  money.  To  do  it  with  any  flourish  of  the 
hand,  as  much  as  to  say,  Here  am  I,  a  man  of  conse 
quence  when  at  home  in  the  States,  will  cost  you  a 
gold  piece.  It  may  also  be  a  useful  piece  of  infor 
mation  for  somebody,  if  I  add  that  there  is  one  occa 
sion,  especially,  when  a  well-filled  purse  is  indispen 
sable  to  the  stranger  in  Havana ;  and  that  is,  when 


244  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

he  goes  shopping  with  his  wife.  She  wants,  of 
course,  to  buy  a  few  articles — the  specialties.  But 
fans,  my  dear  sir,  are  a  hundred  dollars  apiece  ;  that 
is  to  say,  the  best  talking  ones.  An  article  less 
chatty  you  may  get  for  fifty,  or  a  very  stupid  one  for 
twenty-five  even.  But  a  dollar  fan  is  as  dumb  as  a 
mute  at  South  Boston.  Pray  don't  think  your  wife 
extravagant  if  she  want  a  couple  dozen  of  these  elo 
quent,  airy  nothings.  You  know  that  for  your  own 
best  cabanos  you  paid  the  enormous  price  of  two 
hundred  and  eighty  dollars  per  thousand.  Did  you 
not  give  three  hundred  dollars  for  a  dozen  of  em 
broidered  shirts  ?  Surely,  then,  you  cannot  think  it 
a  piece  of  extravagance  in  your  better  and  more  pru 
dent  half  to  buy  tablecloths  at  twelve  dollars  each, 
and  towels  at  fifteen  per  dozen.  The  muslins,  to  be 
sure,  are  so  lovely  that  they  are  cheap  at  any  price  ; 
so  are  the  pineapples,  the  grenadines,  and,  especially, 
the  laces.  Guava  jelly,  too,  is  cheap  and  good  ;  and 
you  cannot  have  too  much  of  it.  Buy  fifty  dollars' 
worth. 

It  is,  doubtless,  very  true  that  no  man  should 
ever  count  the  cost  of  his  dolce  far  niente.  Still,  let 
me  tell  you,  that  if,  some  fine  day — which  is  almost 
any  day  in  the  year — you  say,  on  removing  the  mos 
quito  net  in  the  morning,  This  day  I  will  order 
horses  for  an  excursion  into  the  country ;  I  will  go 


DOLCE  FAR  NIENTE.  245 

to  Seiior  Don  Fulano's  sugar  estate,  and  spend  a 
week  with  him — let  me  tell  you  that  it  is  necessary 
to  put  much  money  in  your  purse.  You  will  want  it 
to  give  to  the  robbers.  For  they  will  waylay  you, 
and,  in  case  of  not  finding  in  your  pockets  a  number 
of  gold  pieces  corresponding  to  the  dignity  of  your 
personal  appearance,  they  will  rap  you  over  the  head 
soundly  for  travelling  with  less  money  than  becomes 
your  station.  Or,  being  armed  with  pen,  ink,  and 
paper,  as  the  gentlemen  of  the  road  always  are  in 
Cuba,  they  will  make  you  draw  a  check  for  five  thou 
sand  dollars — it  may  be  ten — and  lock  you  up  in  a 
cave  for  safe  keeping  until  your  banker  shall  place 
that  sum  at  their  disposal.  No  Creole  of  distinction 
ever  travels  about  the  island  light-pocketed ;  arid,  in 
case  of  meeting  disagreeable  compatriots  on  the 
road,  he  relies  for  safety  much  more  on  purse  than 
pistols  ;  the  latter  being  worn  merely  for  show,  and 
as  a  sign  of  personal  consequence,  although  required 
by  law  to  be  of  a  length  not  shorter  than  fourteen 
inches. 

But,  for  rny  part,  I  was  never  robbed  in  Cuba, 
except  in  the  hotels,  and  offices  of  the  Government. 
In  all  my  travels  about  the  island,  in  fact,  I  never 
met  a  montcro  who  had  so  much  the  look  of  a  cut- 
parse  as  the  one  who  was  seated,  one  day,  by  my 
side  at  a  table  d'hote  in  Havana.  He  was  a  stalwart, 


246  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

swarthy  native,  with  mustaches  as  long  as  Louis 
Napoleon's,  and  spurs  as  long  as  his  mustaches,  but 
with  a  jacket  cut  so  short  as  scarcely  to  come  down 
to  the  small  of  his  back.  I  know  not  by  what  ill 
luck  I  was  placed  next  to  him  at  table ;  but,  as 
misery  often  has  strange  bedfellows,  so  a  gentleman 
at  the  mesa  redonda  in  Cuba  is  liable  to  find  himself 
at  the  side  of  monteros,  German  Jews,  and  bagmen. 
Having  the  appetite  of  seven  men  in  one,  my  fellow 
had  no  sooner  taken  his  seat,  than  he  had  emptied 
every  dish  within  reach ;  and,  while  still  eagerly 
occupied  in  gobbling  them  down,  tapping  me  gently 
on  the  arm — for  his  mouth  was  too  full  for  speech — 
he  pointed  significantly  with  his  knife  to  a  dish  of 
very  nice  fried  plantains,  which  had  been  placed 
before  me.  He  wanted  some  of  them.  But  no  one 
waiter  being  adequate  to  the  supply  of  all  his  wants, 
he  made  application  directly  to  me,  and,  with  an  ex 
pression  of  face  which  plainly  said,  That  plate  of 
fried  plantains,  or  your  life,  Senor !  I  acknowledge 
the  amiable  weakness  of  having  preferred  resigning 
the  plantains  rather  than  my  existence,  it  being  at 
that  time  particularly  sweet ;  and  I  had,  besides,  an 
engagement  for  the  evening  at  the  Plaza.  So  I 
handed  the  dish  to  the  barbarian,  and  held  on  to  my 
lease  of  life. 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

The  Paseo  Tacon. 

IT  is  the  aspiration  of  every  lady  in  Havana  to 
have  her  volant  e.  And  well  it  may  be  ;  for  the 
etiquette  of  the  town  forbids  her  setting  foot  in  the 
street.  She  is  scarcely  permitted  to  walk  even  to 
church.  The  streets  being  narrow,  and  the  side 
walks,  where  there  are  any,  having  width  enough 
only  to  allow  a  single  person  to  pass,  it  can  well  be 
understood  that  a  lady,  in  attempting  to  walk  in 
such  a  city,  would  be  exposed  to  being  jostled,  or 
otherwise  incommoded.  Moreover,  she  could  not 
walk  far  without  soiling  her  dress  in  the  abundant 
mud  or  dust.  Nor  could  she  well  escape  being 
stared  at,  and,  very  likely,  made  the  subject  of  im 
pertinent  remark.  The  volante,  therefore,  is  both 
necessity  and  luxury  for  her.  She  must  have  it  in 
order  to  go  to  church,  to  go  a-shopping,  to  take  an 
airing,  to  make  visits  ;  and,  without  it,  is  little  better 


248  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

than  a  prisoner  in  her  own  house.  It  costs  about  a 
thousand  a  year  to  keep  a  volante  with  two  horses ; 
and  a  Spanish  lady  will  forego  almost  any  luxury, 
except  fans,  in  order  to  have  this  amount  annually  to 
spend  on  a  carriage. 

It  is  indispensable  that  the  volante  be  drawn  by 
two  horses,  or  rather  mules,  at  half  tandem.  The 
mules,  also,  must  have  their  harness  well  washed  in 
silver ;  they  must  have  tag  and  tassel ;  and,  espe 
cially,  must  have  their  tails  braided,  and  tied  up  with 
gay  cords  and  ribbons  over  their  backs  to  the  saddle. 
There  must  be,  furthermore,  a  negro  on  the  back  of 
the  leading  mule  ;  and  he  must  have,  besides  his  pal 
metto  hat,  a  laced  and  braided  jacket,  be  it  green, 
yellow,  scarlet,  purple,  or  sky  blue.  It  is  proper  that 
he  should  wear  leathern  breeches.  Jack  boots  are  as 
indispensable  as  the  indispensables  themselves ;  while 
his  heels  must  be  spurred,  as  near  as  may  be,  like 
Don  Quixote's.  The  volante  itself  should  be  more 
or  less  silvered  over,  and  painted  to  correspond  with 
the  postilion's  jacket.  Then,  when  the  forward 
mule  has  been  trained  to  go  on  a  canter,  and  the 
shaft  mule  on  a  trot,  the  Cuban  lady  has  all  that 
heart  can  wish  for  in  the  matter  of  a  carriage. 

The  Yankee  in  Havana,  who,  wishing  to  spread 
the  feathers  of  his  American  eagle  a  little,  orders 
such  a  turnout  from  a  livery  stable,  will  be  charged 


THE  PASEO    TACON.  249 

half  an  ounce  for  his  afternoon's  airing.  It  is  as 
necessary  for  him  to  have  doubloons  in  his  pocket 
when  he  drives  to  the  paseo,  as  it  is  for  Queen  Isa 
bella  when  she  goes  in  state  through  the  streets  of 
Madrid,  scattering  gold.  I  did  this  thing  the  first 
holiday  afternoon  after  my  arrival,  driving  more 
especially  over  the  Paseo  Tacon.  All  the  world  and 
his  wife  were  there.  Hundreds  of  volantes  passed 
and  repassed  on  a  walk,  from  one  end  of  the  long 
promenade  to  the  other ;  their  great  number  prevent 
ing  them  from  moving  any  faster.  Bordered  on 
either  side  by  tall  trees  ever  in  leaf,  the  road  runs 
between  flower  gardens  and  green  fields,  and  com 
mands  a  view  of  the  city,  the  adjacent  hills,  and  the 
sea.  At  the  hour  of  sunset  the  prospect  is  truly 
beautiful,  when  the  palms  are  seen  on  the  western 
hills  gracefully  grouped  together  against  a  sky  of 
gold  and  purple.  Recently,  a  few  four-wheeled  car 
riages  have  been  introduced  by  hidalgos  anxious  to 
make  themselves  conspicuous  by  innovating  upon  the 
customs  of  their  country.  But  the  volantes  far  out 
numbered  all  other  vehicles  on  the  paseo.  Most  of 
them  were  occupied  by  two  or  three  ladies,  their 
crinoline  being  protruded  as  much  as  possible  on 
either  side,  and  giving  to  the  carriage  the  appearance 
of  being  winged  with  gay  plumage.  It  is  a  fashion 

which    has    no    inconvenience    in    the    usually   still 
11* 


250  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

weather  of  Havana,  when  the  evening  breeze  is 
scarcely  strong  enough  to  stir  muslin ;  but  is  suffi 
ciently  awkward  in  a  "  norther."  This  wind,  luckily 
an  infrequent  visitor,  by  bringing  confusion  into  the 
ladies'  dresses,  and  leaving  the  fair  wearers  not  a 
shadow  of  an  excuse  for  fanning  themselves,  puts  an 
end  at  once  to  all  pleasure-driving  on  the  paseos. 
At  all  other  times,  the  promenading  lasts  not  only 
until  the  day  fades  out  of  the  west,  but  is  industri 
ously  continued  by  gaslight. 

When  taking  this  drive,  the  ladies  have  nothing 
on  their  heads,  save,  perhaps,  a  veil,  a  wreath  of 
flowers,  or  a  coronet  of  diamonds ;  and  nothing  on 
their  necks  or  arms.  Nor  do  they  conceal  the  beauty 
of  their  hands,  even,  and  the  brilliancy  of  their  rings, 
by  putting  on  gloves.  The  thinnest  and  tiniest  of 
Avhite  satin  slippers  cover  the  feet.  Two  ladies  occu 
pying  the  same  volante  always  select  dresses  which 
will  make  a  handsome  contrast  of  colors.  If  one 
skirt  be  pink,  the  other  will  be  green.  If  one  be 
straw  color,  the  other  will  be  lilac.  The  whole 
promenade  glows  with  the  high-tinted  silks  and  mus 
lins.  Indeed,  what  with  the  ladies'  dresses  and  the 
postilions'  jackets,  the  gayly  painted  carriages,  the 
w^ell-groomed  mules  and  their  glittering  trappings, 
the  scene  is  a  shifting  tapestry  of  all  colors,  gorgeous 
as  the  processions  of  princes.  It  is  a  vain  show,  no 


THE  PASEO   TAG  ON.  251 

doubt,  but  one  which  gives  supreme  delight  to  lovers 
of  pleasure  who  live  so  near  the  sun.  The  tropical 
day  has  no  entertainment  half  so  much  prized. 
These  gentlemen  would  sooner  go  without  their 
dinner,  and  these  ladies  without  their  sweetmeats, 
than  miss  the  afternoon  parade.  Nor  is  it,  in  fact, 
the  monotonous  scene  which  foreign,  uninitiated 
eyes  may  find  it.  That  fair  Seiiora  who  drives  to 
and  fro  on  the  paseo  by  the  hour,  is  enjoying  a 
varied  entertainment.  Far  from  being  an  idle,  list 
less  spectator  of  the  scene,  she  is  diligently  exer 
cising  her  eyes  on  every  passing  dame  and  cavalier  ; 
she  is  exercising  her  pretty  little  hand  in  constantly 
opening  and  shutting  her  gayly  painted  abanico ; 
and  with  that  graceful  instrument,  though  she  do 
not  part  her  lips  except  to  smile,  she  is  talking  quite 
as  fast  as  her  tongue  itself  could  go.  She  can  speak 
few  foreign  languages  ;  but  she  knows  thoroughly 
the  language  of  the  fan.  She  can  both  confess  and 
accuse,  rave  or  sigh  with  it.  She  kisses  you  with  it ; 
she  sends  you  an  invitation  by  it ;  and  she  tells  you 
whether  to  come  that  evening  to  the  opera,  to  the 
plaza,  to  Domenica's,  or  to  her  own  house.  Thus 
she  holds  pleasant  discourse  with  friends  and  ac 
quaintances,  who,  from  carriage  or  saddle,  reply  with 
bows  and  smiles,  and  all  those  movements  of  the 
eyes  which  Spaniards  are  adepts  in.  In  this  way, 


252  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

the  paseo,  instead  of  being  a  monotonous,  tiresome 
parade,  becomes  as  chatty  as  the  drawing  room,  as 
amusing  as  a  play,  and  I  know  not  how  much  prefer 
able  to  reading  the  Havana  newspapers. 

Unfortunately,  there  is  not  connected  with  the 
paseo,  as  in  many  of  the  towns  of  Old  Spain,  any 
promenade  for  pedestrians,  where  gentlemen  and 
ladies,  alighting  from  their  carriages,  can  stroll  for  a 
half  hour  through  grounds  tastefully  decorated  with 
shrubbery  and  flowers ;  where  friends  can  pay  the 
calls  of  the  day,  and  fair  ones  hold  their  temporary 
court  sans  ceremonie.  But,  the  Paseo  Tacoii  being 
situated  at  the  foot  of  a  hill  which  is  crowned  by  the 
Castello  del  Principe,  the  afternoon  drive  may  con 
veniently  be  varied  by  climbing  the  tempting  sum 
mit.  There,  at  the  hour  of  sunset,  is  presented,  on 
one  side,  a  view  of  the  purple  sea ;  on  the  other,  of 
the  cream-colored  city,  now  slightly  tinged  with  the 
hue  of  roses ;  and,  beyond  the  walls,  of  far-reaching 
green  plains,  dotted  with  groups  of  palm  trees. 
Spires,  and  domes,  and  towers  burn  in  the  last  rays 
of  the  gorgeous  tropical  sunset ;  while  the  hilltops 
of  the  distant  horizon  glow  with  the  reflected  light 
of  the  clouds  in  which  they  lose  themselves. 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

Church  and  Opera. 

I  AM  sorry  to  be  obliged  to  represent  the  Cu 
bans  as  not  very  diligent  churchgoers.  In  the 
mother  country,  the  Spaniards  are  much  more  exem 
plary  in  the  performance  of  the  duty  of  attending 
mass  and  vespers  ;  often  filling  not  only  all  the  seats, 
but  even  the  aisles  of  their  churches.  But,  on  the 
island,  the  sacred  edifices  contained,  whenever  I  vis 
ited  them,  but  a  paltry  handful  of  worshippers,  and 
always  presented  on  the  marble  floors  abundant 
space  for  the  servants  to  spread  the  broad  carpets 
and  cushions  of  their  mistresses.  Generally,  the 
congregations  consisted  one  half  of  Africans,  who 
are  not  here  compelled  to  pray  in  a  corner,  as  in  our 
Northern  churches ;  but  who,  on  the  contrary,  often 
occupy  the  very  foremost  places  before  the  altars. 
Always  well  dressed,  the  blacks  sometimes  come  to 
church  in  great  state  even.  One  strapping  wench  I 


254  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

remember  to  have  seen  in  a  chapel,  making  herself 
conspicuous,  directly  in  front  of  the  high  altar,  on  a 
cushion  which  had  been  brought  to  her  for  that  pur 
pose  by  a  most  respectful  black  boy.  Being  dressed 
in  a  fine  pineapple,  a  lace  mantilla,  and  embroidered 
skirt,  wherein  she  seemed  to  take  as  much  delight  as 
if  it  had  been  bought  off  the  altar,  she  sat  there 
apparently  enjoying  the  unction  of  extreme  comfort 
and  self-satisfaction.  Her  fan,  which  was  opened 
and  shut  at  the  end  of  each  ave  and  pater  with  all 
the  air  of  a  fashionable  belle,  was  about  as  gay  as 
any  Seiiora's  at  opera  or  paseo.  There  appeared  to 
be  only  one  little  mistake  about  her — her  fashionable 
hoop  had  been  put  on  backside  foremost. 

It  was  in  the  freshness  of  the  early  morning,  and 
before  the  rays  of  the  sun  had  become  potent  enough 
to  require  the  protection  of  an  umbrella,  when  I 
went,  for  the  first  time,  to  the  cathedral.  At  that 
hour,  the  quiet  of  the  place  wTas  not  much  disturbed 
by  worshippers ;  and  it  was  pleasant  to  stroll  through 
the  different  parts  of  this  collection  of  venerable  edi 
fices,  hearing  the  music  of  the  chant  in  the  remotest 
courts,  and  the  echoes  of  the  organ  repeated  along 
all  the  corridors.  In  some  of  these  inner  courtyards 
tall  trees  were  growing,  and  water  was  trickling 
from  ancient  fountains ;  while  here  and  there  were 
to  be  seen  a  few  plants  and  flowers.  In  the  course 


CHURCH  AND    OPERA.  255 

of  my  walk  through  the  buildings,  I  observed  some 
priests  praying,  some  receiving  confessions,  some 
promenading  and  chatting,  and  others  eating  and 
smoking.  But  what  interested  me  most  was,  not  the 
sight  of  the  somewhat  neglected  courtyards,  nor  the 
deep  voices  of  the  priestly  choir,  which  reverberated 
so  far  through  the  aisles  and  cloisters,  but  the  spot 
where  lie  enshrined  the  ashes  of  the  discoverer  of 
America.  Alas !  that  so  many  heroic  qualities  of 
character  should  lie  buried  there  under  the  stones, 
and  so  few  be  found  living  and  breathing  on  this 
island ! 

The  churches,  it  may  be  added,  opened  here 
every  morning  and  evening  to  all  persons  who  may 
be  disposed  to  come  in  for  the  purpose  of  offering 
up  their  prayers,  are  much  more  accessible  than  in 
our  Protestant  States,  where  the  sacred  doors  remain 
closed  six  days  out  of  seven,  and  where,  even  then, 
the  congregation  is  shut  up  in  pews,  located  accord 
ing  to  the  color  of  the  skin,  and  the  monetary  value 
of  the  worshippers. 

But  the  opera  in  Havana,  on  the  other  hand,  is 
far  more  difficult  of  access  than  that  in  ISTew  York. 
In  the  season  of  the  Carnival,  for  example,  a  box — 
and  you  cannot  take  a  lady  to  any  other  part  of  the 
house — will  cost  you  fifty  dollars.  Do  you  think  it 
paying  too  much  for  the  privilege  of  seeing  a  prima 


256  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

donna  asoluta  f  Rather  consider  yourself  a  fortu 
nate  man  that  the  price  is  not  double  that  sum.  In 
deed,  it  is  more  probable  that,  on  a  grand  gala  night, 
you  will  not  be  able  to  get  a  box  for  either  love  or 
money.  For  every  pretty  Seiiora  and  Senorita  in 
Havana  will  be  dying  to  go,  and  all  the  best  places 
will  have  been  engaged  weeks  beforehand.  The 
Havanese  mind  seems  to  be  smitten  with  a  perfect 
rage  for  the  opera.  This  is  the  grand  and  fashion 
able  entertainment — the  most  expensive  luxury  of 
the  town.  The  gentlemen  all  assist  at  the  spectacle 
in  dress  coats  and  embroidered  shirts,  with  stars  and 
ribbons  in  their  buttonholes,  hats  brushed  to  a  hair 
and  mustaches  waxed  up  to  their  eyes.  The  ladies, 
of  course,  are  present  in  all  their  crinoline,  but  with 
dresses  quite  ready  to  fall  off  their  shoulders,  and 
laced  about  the  waist  within  an  inch  of  their  lives. 
Every  lady  has  her  fan  ;  every  lady  is  flounced.  All 
have  their  hair  done  over  a  cushion,  and  all  have 
their  faces  done  in  eggshell,  which  they  call  casca- 
rilla.  The  long  line  of  boxes  flashes  with  jewelry, 
like  the  blazing  mouths  of  a  whole  park  of  artillery. 
For  there  are  diamonds  on  the  brows  of  every  lady 
who  has  a  pretty  forehead,  diamonds  on  all  the  taper 
ing  fingers,  diamonds  on  all  the  round  arms,  dia 
monds  on  the  necks  which  are  brunette,  and  pearls 
on  the  blonde  ones.  The  boxes  are  so  arranged  that 


CHURCH  AND    OPERA.  257 

the  toilets  are  seen  from  top  to  toe.  Not  a  head,  not 
a  neck,  not  a  waist,  arm,  finger,  foot,  but  what  is 
visible  from  every  part  of  the  house.  The  Havanese 
wish  to  see  and  be  seen  wiienever  they  go  to  hear 
music;  and,  much  as  they  pay  the  piper,  they  pay 
the  jeweller  and  the  dressmaker  more. 

The  season  I  was  in  Havana,  the  elite  of  the  city 
were  divided  into  two  hostile  camps,  fighting,  the 
one  for  Garcia  and  the  other  for  Gazzaniga ;  and 
making  the  contest  second  only  to  the  never-to-be- 
forgotten  one  carried  on  a  few  years  ago  in  New 
York  between  the  partisans  of  Alboni  and  of  Son- 
tag.  It  was  a  war  of  the  roses ;  for  the  victory  was 
decided  by  the  greater  number  of  bouquets  with 
which  the  stage  was  strewn  from  one  end  of  the 
play  to  the  other. 

Garcia,  I  believe,  won  the  greater  triumph  in  a 
contest  wherein  neither  champion  suffered  defeat. 
Her  appearance  on  the  stage,  the  evening  of  her 
farewell  benefit,  was  the  signal  for  filling  the  air 
with  miniature  balloons  and  pigeons,  and  showers  of 
bouquets,  to  which  were  attached  printed  slips  of 
complimentary  verses.  No  sooner  had  the  first  act 
ended,  than  the  prima  donna  was  again  showered 
with  flowers.  After  the  second,  she  was  presented 
with  a  gold  bracelet.  After  the  third,  her  brows 
were  crowned  with  a  wreath  of  diamonds,  all  sup- 


258  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

posed  to  be  genuine  ;  and  when,  at  the  conclusion  of 
the  opera,  the  curtain  was  about  to  fall,  lo  !  Garcia 
appeared  surrounded  with  the  dazzling  brilliancy  of 
Bengal  lights.  This  furore  cost  the  Havanese  a 
handsome  little  sum,  variously  estimated  by  the  en 
thusiasm  of  the  fair  donna's  admirers  at  from  five  to 
twenty  thousand  dollars. 

So  mad,  every  time  Carnival  week  comes  round, 
do  these  lovers  of  pleasure  run  over  some  second- 
rate  warbler  on  the  stage.  Oppressed  mortals,  they 
have  no  Congress  sitting  in  Havana  to  inspire  them 
with  a  nobler,  a  political  frenzy.  They  have  no 
Tammany  or  Fanueil  Hall  wherein  to  let  off  their 
pent-up  passion.  No  grand  senate  chamber  furnishes 
them,  from  time  to  time,  with  the  spectacle  of  the 
representatives  of  the  nation  caned  in  their  seats,  or 
seizing  each  other  by  the  coat  collar.  They  have, 
instead,  only  either  the  fight  of  bulls,  or  this  fight 
between  the  followers  of  two  rival  prima  donnas. 
Well,  let  them,  for  the  present,  rave,  and  throw  up 
their  hats  when  a  Garcia  or  a  Gazzaniga  splits  her 
throat  to  please  them ;  for  it  is,  no  doubt,  but  a  short 
time  which  will  be  vouchsafed  them  wherein  to  listen 
to  dulcet  music,  as  if  it  were  the  summum  bonum  of 
existence.  After  the  island  is  annexed,  we  will  send 
them  a  supply  of  political  orators,  who,  making  their 
sweet  voices  heard  loud  above  the  trilling  and  war- 


CHURCH  AND    OPERA.  259 

bling  Melopomenes  of  the  stage,  shall  teach  them  the 
higher  art  of  the  stump  speech,  and  how  to  talk  to 
Buncombe.  Happy  day,  when  they  shall  prefer  the 
platform  of  rough  boards  to  the  boards  of  Terpsi 
chore  ;  when  they  shall  forsake  bull  fighting  and  cock 
fighting  for  a  free  fight  at  the  polls  ;  and  when,  after 
dinner,  instead  of  finding  entertainment  in  the  vanity 
of  a  volante,  or  coffee  at  Domenica's,  they  shall  sit 
out  the  evening  hours  in  their  "  Pewter  Mugs," 
gravely  discussing,  over  doctored  whiskey,  the  whole 
some  doctrine  of  universal  suffrage,  and  the  princi 
ples  of  the  year  '98,  immortal  in  Virginia. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

Oranges   and    the    Quays. 

I'N"  different  countries  the  wise  traveller  learns  a 
different  lesson.  Whoever  visits  Italy,  for  ex 
ample,  finds  that  his  eye  is  trained  to  detect  and 
appreciate  the  beautiful.  For,  besides  the  treasures 
of  art,  all  the  forms  of  nature  wear  there  an  unusual 
grace,  and  present  an  inimitable  harmony  of  color 
ing.  In  nature,  art,  and  man,  lives  everywhere  and 
reigns  paramount  the  spirit  of  beauty.  By  this  is 
the  thoughtful  tourist  perpetually  delighted  and  in 
structed  ;  not  caring  to  find  the  Northern  idea  of 
utility  developed  in  such  a  country ;  not  wishing  to 
see  its  lazzaroni  shut  up  in  steam  factories  ;  nor  even 
its  improvvisatori  and  ballad  singers  transformed  into 
demagogues  and  expounders  of  political  constitu 
tions.  Enough  for  him  that  there  is  one  country  in 
the  world  which  enkindles  in  all  persons  of  genial 
minds  and  hearts  a  warmer  love  of  beautiful  art  and 


ORANGES  AND    THE  QUAYS.  261 

letters  ;  so  that,  returning  to  their  own  homes,  hum 
ble  though  they  be,  they  are  able  to  discover  in  them 
a  thousand  charms  and  graces  never  seen  before. 

But  whoever  goes  to  Cuba  has  quite  another  les 
son  set  before  him.  He  learns  how  to  eat  oranges  ! 
And  what  would  that  youth  at  the  New  England  tea- 
drinking  not  give  to  know  how  to  cut  the  orange 
which  he  wishes  to  offer  to  the  maid  for  whose  tender 
sake  his  cheeks  are  turned  to  purple,  and  his  knees 
tremble  under  him  !  He  does  not  know  how  to  pro 
ceed.  Shall  he  peel  it  for  her  ?  Shall  he  offer  it  to 
her  cut  into  quarters  ? 

Now  I  propose  to  inform  this  bashful  young  man 
how  the  Cubans  perform  this  feat ;  and  surely  they 
ought  to  be  considered  experts.  First,  then,  they 
pare  the  fruit ;  taking  great  pains  that  the  knife  pass 
just  beneath  the  outer  rind  in  such  a  way  as  to  re 
move  the  yellow  and  leave  the  white  part  of  it. 
This  is  important,  because,  if  the  blade  anywhere 
runs  so  deep  as  to  touch  the  pulp,  the  juice  will 
trickle  through  the  wound  when  the  orange  is  eaten, 
and  so  will  spot  the  lady's  fine  brocade,  or  calico. 
The  orange,  peeled  as  aforesaid,  is  cut  through  the 
centre  into  halves,  each  forming  a  perfect  cup  for 
containing  the  precious  liquid.  And  then  all  that 
remains  to  be  done  with  the  two  halves  is,  to  eat 
them.  If  the  nose  be  a  trifle  too  much  hooked,  or 


262  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

run  out  to  a  point  unusually  long,  it  may  be  a  little 
inconvenient  to  drink  the  juice  after  this  fashion; 
so  that,  in  cutting  an  orange  for  a  lady  with  such  a 
nasal  member,  it  might  be  questionable  whether 
some  better  way  of  doing  it  could  not  be  hit  upon. 
Every  rule  will  have  its  exceptions ;  and  every  man 
must  rely  on  his  wits  in  emergencies. 

Who  does  not  love  these  delicious  golden  rounds? 
And  is  it  not  a  piece  of  good  luck,  that  this  is  one  of 
the  few  kinds  of  food  which  cannot  be  adulterated  ? 
Down  in  Connecticut  there  may  be  men  clever 
enough  to  whittle  out  a  wooden  nutmeg  which  shall 
pass  in  Virginia,  and  the  South,  for  a  merchantable 
article.  But  what  Yankee  ever  yet  went  about  the 
country  peddling  artificial  oranges  ?  There  be  mock 
oranges  in  nature  ;  but  this  is  a  trick  of  hers  where 
by  nobody  is  deceived.  So  there  are  different  varie 
ties  of  sweet  oranges  ;  as,  in  the  firmament,  the  stars 
differ  from  each  other  in  glory.  The  perfect  fruit  is 
that,  whether  grown  on  the  south  side  of  Cuba,  or  in 
the  Algerine  valley  of  Blidah,  which  you  yourself 
pick  up  beneath  the  tree  where  it  has  been  lying  all 
night  with  the  dew  on  it — which  you  pick  up  before 
the  first  ray  of  the  rising  sun  gilds  its  rind.  Then  its 
juices  are  cool,  and  as  much  better  than  after  they 
have  been  fermented,  from  exposure  to  a  tropical  sun 
in  the  streets  and  shops  of  the  city,  as  champagne  is 


ORANGES  AND   THE  QUAYS.  263 

better  when  served  cold  from  the  ice  than  lukewarm 
from  the  sideboard.  When  you  are  in  Cuba,  get 
early  up,  and,  in  the  freshness  of  the  morning,  fill 
your  basket  with  oranges  from  under  the  oldest  trees, 
and  eat  them  after  the  termination  of  the  morning's 
walk  or  drive.  Cuban  servants  will  pare  them  neatly 
for  you ;  but,  if  not  too  indolent,  you  can  do  it  your 
self.  A  half  a  dozen  is  not  too  many  to  eat ;  par 
ticularly  if,  at  breakfast  and  dinner,  you  mix  Catalan 
wine  with  your  water. 

Who,  indeed,  does  not  love  oranges  ?  The  father 
returning  from  town  makes  his  children  happy,  if,  on 
searching  his  pockets,  they  find  this  sweet  fruit  of 
the  tropics  there.  Even  the  baby  plays  delighted 
with  one  of  them,  as  with  a  ball.  The  schoolgirl 
goes  on  her  way  with  a  brighter  face  and  a  gayer 
song,  for  having  a  big  Havana  in  her  satchel ;  and 
old  age,  likewise,  smacks  its  shrivelled  lips  after 
tasting  these  sweet  juices.  How  ornamental  their 
golden  globes  are  on  the  dinner  table  ;  and  how  Avel- 
come  whenever  there  is  a  feast  and  frolicking !  All 
over  the  North,  the  peddler  hawks  them  from  village 
to  village  ;  in  the  shop  windows  of  both  town  and 
country,  the  eyes  of  passers  by,  young  or  old,  greet 
them  with  pleasure  ;  while  at  the  bedside  of  sick 
ness  their  juice  is  among  the  most  grateful  of  the 
drinks  prescribed  by  the  physician — a  solace  to  the 
parched  mouth  of  humanity  throughout  the  world. 


264  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE   TROPICS. 

The  orange  markets  are  everywhere  in  Havana. 
This  fruit,  which  all  men  buy  and  eat,  is  cried  about 
the  streets,  having  been  brought  into  town  on  mule 
and  donkey  back.  It  is  sold  in  all  the  vegetable  mar 
kets,  where  it  is  displayed  in  heaps  and  baskets  ;  and 
may  also  be  bought  by  the  boat-load,  or  the  single 
one,  along  all  the  principal  quays.  These  latter  are 
not,  perhaps,  the  most  eligible  places  for  selecting 
choice  fruit ;  but  one  is  more  entertained  there  by 
the  graver  movement  of  men  and  affairs,  than  by  the 
huckstering  and  haggling  of  the  other  markets. 

Whoever  would  gladly  see  an  example  of  toil 
alleviated  by  merriment,  should  by  all  means  go  to 
the  quays  of  Havana,  and  look  at  the  Africans — pure 
specimens  of  the  race  grown  in  its  native  land,  black 
as  charcoal,  strong  limbed,  and  tattooed.  Here  all 
the  work  is  done  by  them,  sprinkled  only  with  a  few 
Chinese  and  Spaniards.  With  what  hilarity  and  jest 
ing  they  roll  out  the  hogsheads  of  molasses  !  with 
what  ease  they  transport  on  their  heads  the  bricks, 
and  boxes  of  sugar !  They  are  but  half  clad,  wear 
ing  no  shirt  or  jacket ;  and  you  see  the.  fine  play  of 
their  muscles  while  they  are  busy  at  their  tasks. 
There  is  much  work  to  be  done  on  the  quays,  but 
still  more  laborers  to  do  it ;  so  that  nearly  a  third  of 
them  are  unemployed,  and  cracking  jokes  with  those 
who  have  something  to  do.  Of  the  former,  some 


ORANGES  AND    THE  QUAYS.  265 

stand  chatting  in  groups ;  some,  smoking  their  cigars, 
sit  about  on  bales  of  cotton  and  boxes  of  sugar ; 
while  others,  supine,  or  flat  on  their  breasts,  lie  sleep 
ing  in  the  sun.  They  are  strong  fellows,  and  willing 
enough  to  exert  their  powers  on  the  slightest  pinch 
of  necessity ;  but  it  is  amusing  to  see  how  many  of 
them  it  will  take  to  pull  a  boat  up  to  the  pier,  when 
there  happens  to  be  plenty  of  them  at  hand,  each  one 
putting  forth  the  least  possible  modicum  of  strength, 
and  all  making  a  jest  of  the  effort.  To  unload  a 
barge  of  bricks,  each  parcel  of  four  must  pass 
through  the  hands  of  as  many  different  negroes. 
The  first  one  picks  them  up  and  hands  them  to  the 
second,  who  tosses  them  to  the  third  standing  in  the 
prow,  and  he  to  the  fourth  standing  on  the  quay. 
Indeed,  there  are  two  more — one  to  bear  them  across 
the  quay  on  his  head  or  his  shoulder,  and  the  other 
to  receive  them  at  the  cart.  The  division  of  labor 
seems  to  lighten  it ;  the  companionship  in  toil  makes 
all  work  with  a  will.  One  half  of  these  black  men 
may  be  estimated  to  be  constantly  on  the  grin,  and 
the  other  half  to  have  cigars  in  their  teeth.  What  a 
horse-laugh  that  wide-mouthed  fellow  on  the  topmost 
cotton  bale  ejects  from  his  throat !  and  did  you  ever 
before  see  two  such  cannibalistic  rows  of  ivory  ? 
He  has  just  pulled  the  wool  over  some  brother  nig 
ger's  eyes,  and  gone  into  convulsions  about  it. 
12 


266  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

These  Africans  have  well-developed  chests,  and, 
in  most  cases,  handsomely  turned  arms ;  but  their 
limbs  are  always  deficient  in  symmetry.  In  the 
whole  crowd  you  will  not  be  able  to  find  a  single 
form  which  is,  throughout,  well  proportioned.  Either 
their  bodies  are  too  long  for  their  legs,  or  their  legs 
are  too  long  for  their  bodies.  An  Apollo  Belvidere 
is  not  to  be  sought  for  here.  They  have  good 
height,  however,  and  generally  dwarf  their  Spanish 
and  Chinese  associates.  Of  these  last-mentioned 
laborers,  the  former  are  a  tolerably  merry  set,  and 
even  more  noisy  than  the  negroes  ;  but  disputatious, 
also,  and  of  a  blood  that  mounts  more  quickly  into 
passion.  But  the  Chinese,  with  his  slender  legs  and 
thin  body,  appears  not  to  be  so  happy  at  this  heavy 
work  of  the  quays  ;  has  rather  a  homesick  look,  and 
sometimes  wears  a  visage  not  a  little  sulky.  Still  he 
has  brighter  eyes  and  more  brains  than  the  African, 
and  will  finally  succeed  in  domesticating  himself  in 
our  tropics ;  although,  for  the  first  few  years  after 
cutting  off  his  pigtail,  he  naturally  feels  a  little  un 
comfortable,  and  does  not  quite  know  how  to  make 
himself  at  home  without  his  pet  appendage: 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 

The    Cerro. 

I  WAS  very  comfortably  lodged,  for  a  few  days, 
in  one  of  the  hotels  in  the  Cerro.  This  suburb 
consists  mainly  of  a  single  street  some  three  miles  in 
length,  the  half  of  it  nearest  the  town  being  occu 
pied  by  shops  and  the  homes  of  shopkeepers,  and 
the  other  half  by  the  villas  and  chateaux  belonging 
to  the  wealthy  merchants  of  the  city,  and  official 
personages  of  distinction.  The  most  of  these  stand 
directly  upon  the  street,  though  a  few  are  situated  at 
a  little  distance  from  it,  in  the  midst  of  groves  and 
gardens.  In  passing  along  this  more  rural  part  of 
the  Cerro,  one  gets  a  view  of  beautiful  green  lawns, 
of  pretty  collections  of  flowers,  of  tropical  shrub 
bery  growing  in  the  greatest  luxuriance,  and  of 
palms  towering  over  all,  no  less  gracefully  than 
proudly,  toward  the  sky.  The  mansions  are  gay 
with  bright  colors,  the  white  being  everywhere 


268  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

striped  with  pink,  sky  blue,  and  apple  green.  At 
evening,  also,  nothing  of  the  kind  can  be  more 
charming  than  a  drive  through  this  portion  of  the 
Cerro  ;  for  the  houses — the  piazzas  included — are  all 
brilliantly  lighted  with  gas,  and  have  their  doors 
and  windows  thrown  wide  open.  The  passer  by, 
looking  directly  through  the  halls,  sees  pretty  vistas 
beyond  leading  to  orange  gardens,  or  terminated  by 
vases  of  bright-colored  flowers.  He  also  sees  the 
members  of  the  family  gathered  in  groups  on  the 
piazza,  or  arranged,  according  to  age  and  sex,  in  two 
formal  rows  of  rocking  chairs.  There  they  sit,  the 
ladies  opposite  the  gentlemen,  and  rock  themselves 
the  whole  evening  through.  The  Spanish  fans  make 
a  pleasant  breeze  when  none  blows  in  at  open  doors 
and  windows ;  the  flowers  diffuse  through  the  rooms 
a  sweet  perfume ;  the  blaze  of  gas  makes  every 
countenance  visible,  even  from  the  street ;  exhibits 
all  the  toilets,  and  every  article  of  the  furniture,  the 
volante  which  stands  in  a  corner  of  the  hall  included. 
You  hear,  as  you  pass,  the  song,  and  see  the  dance. 
You  hear,  also,  the  mellifluous  hum  of  the  soft  Span 
ish  voices,  and  their  musical,  ringing  laugh  ;  and  you 
see  even  the  fingering  of  the  piano,  and  the  thrum 
ming  of  the  strings  of  the  blue-ribboned  guitar. 
Charmed  with  the  sight,  you  exclaim,  "  How  social 
this  is !  "  And,  as  you  see  the  guests  corning  and 


THE  CERRO.  269 

going,  you  can  hardly  restrain  the  desire  to  enter 
these  hospitably  open  doors  yourself,  and  make  your 
Low  to  such  fair  company. 

Hard  by  the  Cerro  stands  a  fine  old  chateau,  ap 
proached  by  an  avenue  of  palms  full  half  a  mile  in 
length.  As  the  sunny  day  draws  to  a  close,  it  is  a 
pleasant  promenade  from  the  hotel  to  pass  between 
these  graceful  rows  of  sentinels  into  the  grounds  and 
gardens  of  the  chateau.  You  may  even  be  asked 
into  the  house  by  the  gracious  and  hospitable  in 
mates.  And  if,  by  any  chance,  an  acquaintance  thus 
begun  should  lead  to  intimacy,  I  will  not  say  that  a 
dinner  party  may  be  given  you ;  but  it  is  possible 
that  the  polite  hostess  may  invite  you,  if  a  lady,  to 
join  her,  some  morning,  in  the  bath. 

Nor,  in  this  hot  climate,  is  such  a  favor  to  be 
lightly  esteemed.  For  the  bath  is  one  of  the  great 
est  of  Cuban  luxuries.  The  bath  house  is  often  built 
in  the  midst  of  a  flower  garden,  and  looks  like  a  sum 
mer  bower.  The  descent  is  by  marble  steps  into  a 
basin  of  clear  spring  water  of  a  temperature  so 
grateful  that  an  hour  passes  only  too  quickly  there. 
At  the  end  of  it,  female  slaves  stand  ready  with 
snow-white  napkins  to  make  the  toilets ;  and,  after 
ward,  the  bathers,  lounging  on  couches,  are  served 
with  fruits  and  iced  drinks.  Conversation,  embroi 
dery,  books,  follow ;  or,  it  may  be,  the  siesta.  And 
thus,  ere  one  is  aware,  is  passed  an  entire  morning. 


270  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

A  pleasant  drive,  just  off  the  Cerro,  invites  the 
stranger  to  a  place  of  some  little  resort,  called  the 
Bishop's  Garden.  But,  unfortunately,  the  pleasant 
days  when  the  good  bishop  lived  here  are  long  since 
gone ;  and  now,  all  that  remains  is  an  old  palace 
abandoned  to  decay,  fish  ponds  in  which  there  are  no 
fish,  flower  gardens  wherein  there  are  no  flowers,  and 
walks,  half  overgrown  with  grass,  leading  through 
grounds  in  which  neglect  is  making  graceful  mockery 
of  all  previous  labor  and  painstaking.  It  is  a  pity, 
indeed,  that  such  a  fine  old  palace  should  be  given 
over  to  the  bats  and  the  lizards  ;  and  that  the  visitor 
to  this  naturally  beautiful  spot  should  see  no  signs 
of  work  anywhere,  except  the  constant  working  of 
the  luxuriant  tropical  vegetation.  Here  are  magnifi 
cent  groves  and  clusters  of  trees,  containing  the 
palm,  the  ceiba,  the  beech,  the  mango,  the  mamey, 
and  the  sapote  ;  while  up  many  a  stem  is  seen  climb 
ing  the  ivy,  or  the  vine,  or  the  Indian  fig,  and  other 
parasites  whose  name  is  legion.  The  scene,  in  spite 
of  the  large,  pink-colored  water  roses  which  lie  float 
ing  on  the  artificial  waters,  is  a  little  less  gay  than 
harmonizes  well  with  the  mood  of  mind  in  which 
one  takes  his  afternoon  stroll  in  the  tropics.  How 
ever,  the  way  homeward  by  the  Paseo  Tacon  will 
sufficiently  exalt  the  spirits  again  ;  for,  along  the  line 
of  the  western  horizon,  glowing  at  sunset  with  that 


THE  CERRO.  271 

beautiful  tint  of  pink  which  one  sees  in  sea  shells, 
there  stand,  in  bold  relief,  palm  trees  grouped  to 
gether  as  gracefully  as  the  Three  Sisters,  or  the 
Muses,  in  old  Greek  art.  And,  haply,  when  the 
traveller,  returned  to  his  home  in  the  North,  and  sit 
ting  muffled,  on  winter  nights,  by  the  fireside,  thinks 
of  the  sunny  afternoons  when  he  rambled  through 
the  green  suburbs  of  the  Havana,  he  will  see  the 
blazing  logs  converted  by  his  dreamy  eyes  into  those 
same  groups  of  dark  palm  trees,  standing  amid  the 
pink-colored  sea  shells  of  the  Caribbean. 


C  HA  P  TER     XX  VII. 

Excursions. 

WHAT  excursions   into   the   country   ought   I 
to  make  from  Havana?   asks  the  Yankee, 
who  expects  to  see  everything,  and  counts  the  very 
best  of  it  not  too  good  for  him. 

This  question  you  will  very  likely  ask  of  your 
banker,  to  whom  you  bring  a  letter  of  credit ;  and, 
in  consideration  of  the  three  and  one  quarter  per 
cent,  which  he  charges  for  the  trouble  of  counting 
out  your  ounces,  he  is  willing  to  answer  a  few  ques 
tions.  He  may  not  do  anything  more  for  you ;  but 
a  few  questions  he  expects  to  answer  every  man  who 
comes  from  the  States.  Perhaps,  when  the  rate  of 
exchange  goes  against  him,  and  he  cannot  have  the 
face  to  deduct  from  your  money  more  than  one  or 
two  per  centum,  he  will  be  a  little  more  laconic ;  but 
the  chances  are  ten  to  one  that  you  will  arrive  at  a 
period  of  what  he  will  term  a  small  financial  crisis, 


EXCURSIONS.  273 

when,  of  course,  money  is  very  dear,  and  you  will 
not  object  to  paying  a  handsome  premium  for  it. 

Take  care,  by  the  way,  if  you  ask  the  banker's 
clerk  to  give  you  small  money,  that  he  do  not  shrug 
his  shoulders.  For  it  is  a  first  principle  with  the 
Cuban  to  take  all  the  silver  he  can  get,  and  give  as 
little.  And  when  you  do  succeed  in  extracting  it 
from  him,  I  would  not  like  to  insure  you  against 
there,  being  some  light-weight  pieces  among  it.  Your 
twenty-five-cent  coins  may  not  turn  out  to  be  of  the 
value  of  more  than  twenty ;  and  you  must  not  pre 
sume  that  any  native  will  take  them  for  more  than 
they  weigh  in  the  scales.  He  knows  their  avoirdu 
pois  the  instant  they  touch  his  palm.  "  Five  cents 
more,  if  you  please,  Sefior,"  says  he,  promptly.  In 
deed,  I  remember,  in  one  instance,  when  making  a 
negotiation  with  a  Habafiero  of  the  value  of  a  single 
sixpence,  that  I  was  obliged  to  produce  no  less  than 
four  of  these  coins  before  finding  one  that  came  up 
to  his  very  nice  notion  of  what  was  standard  value. 
Still,  as  few  strangers  speak  the  language  of  the 
country,  they  ought  to  bear  in  mind  how  much  trou 
ble  they  give  everybody  with  whom  they  have  deal 
ings,  from  the  banker  down  to  the  orange  merchant, 
and  be  ready  to  pay  a  shilling  or  so  in  the  dollar,  for 
the  privilege  of  talking  incomprehensible  Spanish, 
looking  out  of  curiosity  at  twice  as  many  things  in 
12* 


274  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

the  shops  as  they  purchase,  stopping  people  to  in 
quire  their  way  about  town,  and  blundering  gen 
erally.  Then,  too,  the  amusement  of  seeing  so  much 
close  reckoning  in  a  country  lying  so  far  removed 
from  the  North  Pole,  ought  to  be  considered  as 
worth  something. 

Well — your  banker  advises  you  to  go  to  Guana- 
bacoa  ;  says  it  is  the  most  agreeable  excursion  to  be 
made  out  of  Havana — in  fact,  about  the  only  one, 
unless  you  choose  to  go  to  San  Antonio  and  get  a 
fish  breakfast.  Accordingly,  little  choice  being  left, 
you  decide  in  favor  of  Guanabacoa.  Go,  as  I  did,  in 
the  cool  of  the  afternoon,  and  just  as  the  clouds  of 
sunset  are  lying,  one  above  the  other,  parallel  with 
the  horizon,  and  showing  narrow  spaces  of  sky  be 
tween,  crimson,  and  gold-colored  ;  as  though  the  red 
and  yellow  of  the  Spanish  ensign  had  been  hoisted 
athwart  the  heavens.  Your  satisfaction  in  taking 
this  excursion,  be  it  more  or  less,  begins  with  a  drive 
in  a  volante  from  your  hotel  to  the  harbor.  Thence 
you  are  carried  on  your  way  a  half  a  mile  across  the 
harbor  in  a  ferry  boat.  Next,  entering  a  very  neat 
and  strongly  built  station  house,  filled  with  comfort 
able  railway  carriages,  you  take  a  place  in  one  of 
them,  and  are  borne  by  the  train  through  a  beautiful 
country  of  rolling  hills  crested  with  palm  trees ; 
through  fields  green  in  winter,  and  pastured  by  cows 


EXCURSIONS.  275 

and  oxen ;  between  hedges  of  cactus,  and  a  great 
variety  of  beautifully  flowering  plants  of  the  trop 
ics  ;  within  sight,  during  most  of  the  time,  of  the 
blue  Avaters  of  the  harbor,  past  villas  gayly  striped 
with  blue  and  green,  and  surrounded  with  orange 
groves  and  banana  orchards,  and  thickets  of  tall  ole 
ander.  The  journey  lasts  just  eight  minutes.  In 
deed,  at  the  end  of  seven,  the  shriek  of  the  engine, 
announcing  the  approach  of  the  train  to  the  town, 
surprises  you  in  the  very  midst  of  your  enjoyment 
of  the  lovely  prospect.  But  the  road  ends  at  Guana- 
bacoa ;  and  you  must  immediately  leave  the  train,  or 
be  carried  back,  in  eight  minutes  more,  to  Havana. 

It  was  my  good  fortune  to  make  this  excursion 
on  a  saint's  day ;  and,  on  turning  the  first  corner  of 
a  street,  to  stumble  upon  a  procession  of  the  Holy 
Virgin,  arrayed  in  all  her  artificial  flowers,  gold  lace, 
and  brocade.  But,  to  tell  the  truth,  it  was  a  third- 
rate  procession  of  a  third-rate  town,  consisting  of 
not  more  than  a  dozen  Spaniards,  and  as  many  ne 
groes,  the  latter  being  scarcely  blacker  than  the  for 
mer.  Three  or  four  greasy  candle-bearers  headed  the 
procession ;  a  few  boys  followed,  bearing  waiters  of 
bread  and  cakes ;  then  came  one  solitary  priest,  but 
a  portly  one,  swinging  a  censer  of  incense ;  and, 
after  him,  was  borne  high  in  air,  on  the  shoulders  of 
half  a  dozen  negroes,  the  Blessed  Virgin  herself. 


276  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

But,  unfortunately,  the  foremost  of  the  bearers  hap 
pened  to  be  considerably  taller  than  the  hindmost ; 
so  that  the  Madonna  stood  with  her  head  thrown 
back  even  farther  than  became  the  Queen  of  Heaven. 
Indeed,  her  position  looked  decidedly  ticklish ;  and 
the  whole  affair  went  so  askew,  that  the  porters, 
whose  shoulders  were  becoming  uneasy  from  the  un 
equal  pressure,  caine  to  a  halt  for  the  purpose  of 
getting  the  tall  blacks  and  the  short  blacks  rightly 
distributed  under  the  burden.  But  they  seemed  too 
stupid  to  know  how  to  do  it ;  and  the  Virgin,  finally, 
had  to  go  up  the  steeply  ascending  street  in  a  posi 
tion  which  would  have  broken  her  back  had  she  been 
mortal. 

A  few  steps  farther  on,  I  met  a  girl  bearing  a 
basket  of  natural  flowers,  which  took  the  color  en 
tirely  out  of  the  artificial  ones  of  the  Virgin.  The 
brilliancy  of  the  scarlets  was  second  only  to  that  of 
the  sun  between  the  tropics  ;  the  blues  were  as  deep 
as  that  of  the  Caribbean ;  the  purples  vied  with  the 
clouds  of  the  sunset  then  glowing  in  the  west ;  and 
the  roses — white,  red,  and  yellow — were  fair  enough 
to  be  wreathed  in  the  hair  of  the  maids  of  Andalu 
sia.  I  admired  the  flowers  so  much,  that,  at  parting, 
the  damsel,  in  polite  Spanish  phrase,  placed  the  bas 
ket  at  the  disposition  of  the  stranger — though  not 
expecting,  of  course,  that  he  would  accept  it.  But 


EXCURSIONS.  21*7 

it  was  a  beautiful  vision,  this  of  the  flowers  and  the 
maiden,  which  harmonized  well  with  the  blushes  of 
the  sunset ;  and  for  some  little  distance  behind,  the 
basket,  as  it  was  carried  along,  left  a  sweet  scent 
floating  hi  the  twilight  air. 

It  was  pleasant  to  step  for  a  moment  into  the 
principal  church  of  the  town,  as  the  priests  were  ex 
tinguishing  the  last  tapers,  and  the  gloom  of  the 
ancient  edifice  was  becoming  still  more  deepened  by 
the  falling  shadows  of  the  evening.  The  plaza — for 
every  Spanish  town  has  one — though  too  small  for 
palms,  was  well  filled  with  flowering  shrubs ;  while 
a  couple  of  pretty  gardens  at  the  end  of  the  princi 
pal  street,  with  their  stiff,  large  cactus  trees  and  tow 
ering  pines,  heightened  the  pleasure  of  the  prome 
nade. 

And  so  ended  my  sight-seeing  in  Guanabacoa. 

The  light  of  the  new  moon  shining  out  of  the 
still  pink  and  purple  west  guided  me  on  my  way 
homeward ;  and  as  I  recrossed  the  beautiful  harbor 
of  Havana,  the  gliding  of  every  prow,  the  dipping 
of  every  oar,  and  even  the  ripples  which  the  soft 
south  wind  raised  upon  a  portion  of  the  surface  of 
the  harbor,  made  the  waters  all  around  flash  with 
phosphorescent  light,  as  brightly  as  the  stars  over 
head,  and  the  crescent  moon.  The  large  clippers, 
and  the  ships  of  war  from  Spain,  were  casting 


278  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

shadows  blacker  even  than  themselves  over  the  har 
bor  ;  while  along  the  line  of  the  quays  the  lights  of 
the  city  sent  streams  of  flame,  trembling  and  dan 
cing,  far  out  across  the  water. 

On  my  excursion  to  San  Antonio,  the  incident 
which  gave  me,  perhaps,  most  pleasure,  and  may 
best  be  worth  mentioning,  was  the  meeting  with  a 
party  of  four  young  bloods — partie  carree — who, 
wishing  to  see  the  island,  had  been  sent  out  by  a 
Spanish  friend  of  theirs  to  spend  the  day  at  this 
small  bathing  place.  Making  the  journey  in  the 
freshness  of  the  morning,  they  reached  the  town 
with  appetites  exceedingly  sharp  set.  Summoning  at 
once,  therefore,  the  landlord  of  the  inn  at  which 
they  had  alighted,  they  inquired  if  he  could  give 
them  a  dejeuner  a  la  fourchette. 

"  Certainly,"  replied  mine  host,  with  the  look  of 
a  man  who  was  ready  for  all  emergencies ;  "  and 
with  what  may  it  please  the  gentlemen  to  be 
served  ?  " 

"  Have  you  fish  ?  "  inquired  the  spokesman  of 
the  party. 

The  landlord,  his  eyes  sparkling,  instantly  *  col 
lected  the  fingers  of  his  right  hand  to  a  point,  and, 
bringing  the  same  gracefully  to  his  lips,  removed 
them  with  an  audible  kiss,  saying  : 

"  The  gentlemen  shall  be  served  with  red  snap- 


EXCURSIONS.  279 

pers  —  the   best   fish   in   the    kingdom   of   the   two 
Spains." 

"  Good.     And  have'  you  any  beefsteaks  ?  " 
Another  kiss,  even  more  resonant  than  the  for 
mer,   was  the  reply ;    while,   at  the  same  time,   the 
portly  innkeeper's  eyes  ran  over  with  smiles,  and  his 
mouth,  watering,  ran  over  with  saliva. 

But  to  serve  a  repast  so  magnificent,  required  a 
little  time.  The  Sefiores  must  give  a  half  hour  for 
it — which,  on  this  island,  means  an  hour  and  a  half. 
Accordingly,  the  young  gents,  in  order  to  kill  the 
time,  sallied  forth  in  their  volantes  to  see  the  coun 
try,  which,  at  that  hour  of  the  day,  was  pretty  bril 
liantly  illuminated  by  the  sun.  But,  bidding  defi 
ance  to  heat  and  dust,  they  overran  no  less  than 
three  plantations,  seeing  sugar,  coffee,  and  cotton 
fields,  and  got  back  to  breakfast  before  the  waiters 
had  fully  done  rubbing  themselves  in  garlic,  prepara 
tory  to  bringing  in  the  dishes. 

So  these  tyros  of  travel  sitting  down  to  their 
fork  breakfast,  the  platter  of  fish  was  brought  in  and 
set  before  them,  with  an  air,  on  the  part  of  the  chief 
waiter,  which  seemed  to  say : 

"  Sefiores,  it  is  good  enough  for  the  king." 
The  Senores  were  hungry,  and  looked  at  the  dish 
with  longing  eyes  ;  but  what  did  they  behold  ?     By 
the  faith  of  San  Antonio  Abad,  they  saw  four  fish 


280  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

heads — four  enormous  fish  heads ;  and  each  a  head 
without  a  tail,  much  less  a  body ;  but,  altogether, 
having  eight  big,  glaring  eyes,  wide  open,  and  all 
staring  at  these  foreign  gentlemen  !  The  gentlemen 
stared  in  return  with  their  eyeglasses.  But  it  was 
of  no  use ;  the  fish  heads  with  the  naked  eyes  out- 
stared  them.  And  so,  after  parley  and  objurgation, 
the  eaters,  completely  discomfited,  ordered  the  wait 
ers  to  remove  out  of  their  sight  the  heads  of  the 
eaten. 

But  now  came  the  turn  for  the  waiters  to  open 
their  eyes  a  little.  The  Seiiores  not  eat  fish  heads  ! 
They  stood  still  in  their  places,  absolutely  petrified 
in  the  face,  and  their  feet  as  good  as  glued  to  the 
floor  with  amazement.  Not  eat  the  heads  of  the  red 
snapper !  It  was  some  seconds  before  they  could 
recover  presence  of  mind  sufficient  to  obey  orders. 
But  as  they  finally  did  so,  their  countenances  changed. 
To  surprise  succeeded  the  expression  of  contempt. 
Surely,  they  thought,  these  cabaUeros  from  the 
States  were,  at  home,  no  better  than  flunkys. 
And  one  of  the  mozos,  who  was  a  black  boy,  in 
taking  the  platter  out  of  the  room,  was  overheard  to 
say  to  his  fellows,  with  a  significant  pointing  of  his 
thumb  over  his  shoulder  : 

"  Fish  heads  too  good^for  'em  ! ' 

The  foreign  gents  then  awaited,  in  mingled  indig- 


EXCURSIONS.  281 

nation  and  dismay,  the  serving  of  the  steaks.  On 
their  appearance,  however,  the  party  took  courage, 
seeing  that  this  dish  had,  at  least,  no  eyes  wherewith 
to  stare  them  out  of  countenance.  The  steaks  had, 
on  the  contrary,  a  decidedly  gentle  and  inoffensive 
expression,  being  cow's  meat — the  meat  of  cows  no 
longer  suited,  by  reason  of  age,  to  the  purposes  of 
the  dairy.  They  had,  in  fact,  been  jerked  beef  when 
already  on  the  hoof;  and  now,  though  done  in  oil 
and  onions,  were  not  susceptible  of  mastication  ex 
cept  between  the  molars  of  a  native. 

But  the  leading  gent  of  the  party  ventured  so  far 
as  to  attempt  to  swallow  one  of  the  morsels ;  while 
the  others,  less  rash,  paused  to  see  the  result.  They 
not  only  held  back,  but  they  almost  held  their  breath 
during  the  performance  of  the  experiment.  And 
well  they  might ;  for  the  face  of  the  adventurous 
young  man  became,  in  the  act  of  swallowing,  first 
red  and  then  purple.  In  fact,  he  wras  on  the  point  of 
— suffocating — not,  of  course,  from  the  steak,  but 
from  indignation,  and  gasped  out : 

"  Help  !  unbutton  my  waistcoat !  " 

Finally,  they  all  made  their  breakfast  on  bread 
soaked  in  wine  and  water.  For  on  good  Spanish 
bread,  as  I  have  elsewhere  had  occasion  to  observe, 
nobody  need  starve  ;  and  so  the  young  men  all  de 
parted,  leaning  on  this  staff  of  life,  and  obliged  to 


282  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

content  themselves  with  the  simple  pleasure  of  pay. 
ing  their  bill,  which  amounted  to  three  dollars  for 
each  person.  As  usually  happens  in  this  country,  the 
landlord  had  decidedly  the  best  of  it ;  he  being  left 
in  possession  of  the  steaks  and  fish  heads.  He  had, 
in  fact,  taken  in  twelve  dollars,  and  also  saved  his 
bacon. 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

A   Cuban  Steamer. 

I  WENT  to  Matanzas  by  the  steamer,  going  on 
board  at  a  late  hour  in  the  evening.  Spanish 
friends  had  told  me  that  this  was  the  least  disa 
greeable  way  of  making  the  journey ;  though  they 
dropped  the  hint  that  some  of  the  vessels,  being  old 
ones,  were  not  quite  trustworthy  in  a  norther ;  and, 
indeed,  that  none  of  them  would  put  to  sea  while  the 
wind  was  blowing  from  that  bad  quarter  whence 
comes  so  much  discomfort  to  the  Cubans — cold,  hur 
ricanes,  and  filibusters.  But,  at  the  hour  of  my  set 
ting  off,  only  the  softest  zephyrs  were  fanning  the 
evening  sea ;  while  overhead  w^as  spread  a  canopy 
of  lustrous  stars,  pink  colored,  and  green,  and  silver. 
All  these  hosts  of  heaven  seemed  to  be  set  in  motion 
by  the  movement  of  the  steamer  down  the  harbor, 
accompanying  and  guarding  us,  like  myriads  of  the 
angels  of  God. 


284  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

Thus  divinely  and  gorgeously  attended,  we  left 
behind  the  city  with  its  thousand  lights,  the  Moro 
with  its  fire  beacons,  the  harbor  Hashing  with  phos 
phorescent  ripples ;  and  passed  at  once  out  upon  the 
ocean,  to  find  it  more  softly  but  scarcely  less  beauti 
fully  illumined  by  the  light  of  the  tropical  nioon. 
Like  a  cork  in  the  water,  the  little  steamer  rose  and 
sank  with  the  heaving  of  the  great  ocean's  breast. 
But  no  storm  winds  that  night  were  abroad  on  the 
deep ;  and  the  dark  island  lay  sleeping  in  the  em 
brace  of  the  moonlit  sea  as  peacefully  as,  in  the 
wakeful  mother's  arms,  the  infant. 

But  what  a  Babel  is  the  cabin  of  this  Cuban 
coasting  steamer  !  Two  or  three  different  languages 
are  being  spoken,  the  Spanish  scarcely  predominating 
over  the  English ;  and  everybody  is  speaking  at  once. 
In  the  gentlemen's  cabin  there  is  an  equally  great 
confusion  of  postures,  the  passengers  having  assumed 
all  possible  attitudes  —  standing,  sitting,  reclining, 
lying.  All,  too,  are  smoking — even  those  who  are 
asleep.  At  least,  a  number  have  gone  to  bed  with 
unlighted  cigars  in  their  mouths,  after  tired  nature 
has  refused  to  smoke  any  longer. 

The  scent  of  the  tobacco  must,  of  course,  reach 
the  ladies'  cabin,  which  is  separated  only  by  an  ill- 
shutting  door  from  that  of  the  gentlemen.  But  do 
not  suppose  that  the  fair  Senoras  are  annoyed  by  it. 


A    CUBAN  STEAMER.  285 

On  the  contrary,  two  out  of  the  three  Cuban  ladies 
who  occupied  the  narrow  quarters,  lay  in  their  berths 
smoking  through  half  the  night,  and  spitting,  too,  on 
the  floor,  wholly  regardless  of  the  direction.  The 
third  seemed  less  addicted  to  the  use  of  the  weed ; 
still  even  she  could  not  muster  strength  enough  to 
arise  next  morning  without  the  help  of  a  cigarito. 
First  having  rolled  it  with  the  very  prettiest  of 
tapering  fingers,  she  lighted  it  by  the  cigar  of  the 
man-maid  who,  during  the  greater  part  of  the  night, 
had  been  in  and  out  of  the  room,  apparently  for  no 
other  purpose  than  to  keep  the  Sefioras'  cigars  going. 
In  fact,  the  three  smoked,  spat,  jabbered,  giggled, 
and  ha-ha-ed  until  long  past  midnight.  But  they 
jested  not  more  freely  with  each  other  than  with  the 
man  in  waiting,  whenever  he  came  to  rekindle  their 
fires  ;  though  pretending,  at  the  same  time,  to  be 
dreadfully  distressed  at  his  presence.  And  yet  the 
trio  were,  as  the  world  goes,  genteel  ladies,  having  a 
good  standing  in  the  best  society  of  Havana,  and 
were  dressed  in  rich  silks,  fine  laces,  and  petticoats 
six  inches  deep  in  embroidery. 

It  was  a  piece  of  good  fortune  that  the  hours  of 
this  night  were  short  ones ;  though  it  must  be  con 
fessed  that  three  o'clock  is  an  early  hour  for  rising, 
even  in  a  Spanish  country.  But  at  that  time  of 
night  the  steamer's  whistle  blew  a  blast  loud  enough 


286  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

to  awaken  passengers  the  most  grievously  afflicted 
with  deafness ;  and  in  a  few  minutes  we  were  all 
aboard  the  small  boats  which  had  surrounded  the 
ship,  each  one  with  its  lantern.  It  was  a  good  mile 
to  shore ;  but  the  horns  of  the  moon  also  contributed 
to  make  our  water  path  sufficiently  visible. 

The  boatman,  arrived  at  the  landing,  looked 
sharp  at  my  pesetas,  holding  them  up  to  his  lantern  ; 
but,  finding  them  sufficiently  heavy,  he  passed  me 
and  my  baggage  on  to  a  negro  who  was  standing, 
half  asleep,  over  a  wheelbarrow.  The  negro,  when 
aroused  from  his  nap,  placed  the  trunks  on  his 
vehicle,  and  civilly  invited  me  to  follow  on  foot. 
There  being  no  other  way  of  going,  on  foot  I  went. 
And  a  sufficiently  dismal  walk  it  was ;  for,  in  pro 
ceeding  through  the  long,  dark  streets,  I  found  a 
plenty  of  dust,  together  with  a  great  deficiency  of 
gas ;  so  that  it  was  not  until  after  much  fumbling 
and  stumbling  that  I  reached  the  hotel. 

At  that  early  hour  the  heavy  door  was  barred 
equally  against  travellers  and  robbers.  I  bade  the 
negro  knock;  but  he  did  so  in  vain.  I  bade  him 
knock  once  more — thrice — four  times  ;  but  it  was 
not  until  he  did  so  with  his  shoe  heels  that  I  heard 
the  low  sound  of  footsteps  within. 

"  Who's  there  ?  "  asked  the  voice  of  an  African, 
manifestly  half  asleep. 


CUBAN  STEAMER.  287 

"  Travellers,  and  men  of  peace,"  was  the  reply. 

Thereupon  the  porter  went  away,  apparently  to 
some  remote  part  of  the  house,  to  get  a  light ;  came 
back  again  for  I  know  not  what  purpose,  and  then 
once  more  went  away,  probably  to  ask  permission  of 
the  landlord  to  admit  the  outsiders.  It  was  granted  • 
and  the  ponderous  door  on  rusty  hinges  opened  to 
receive  me.  I  was  ushered  into  the  drawing  room  ; 
and  there  the  negro  would  have  left  me  to  pass  the 
remainder  of  the  night,  had  I  not  bidden  him  call  his 
master,  and  make  ready  an  apartment.  Very  sub 
missively  but  drowsily  the  porter  did  his  errand ; 
and,  returning,  went  to  bed  again.  At  the  end  of  a 
quarter  of  an  hour,  no  landlord  being  forthcoming,  I 
went  again  for  Sambo,  otherwise  called  Crescenzia, 
who  very  obediently,  and  as  if  fully  expecting  to  do 
so,  got  up  a  second  time,  and  was  soon  heard  in  an 
adjoining  room  calling  the  landlord  by  name,  and 
vigorously  shaking  him.  The  latter,  sufficiently 
awake  to  talk  intelligibly,  promised  to  get  up  and 
make  provision  for  the  newly  arrived  guests.  So 
Crescenzia  once  more  went  to  his  couch,  and  I  once 
more  began  my  vigils.  Another  quarter  of  an  hour 
I  watched  for  the  coming  of  the  master  of  the 
house  ;  but,  instead  of  approaching  footfalls,  I  could 
hear  nothing  except  the  stentorian  snoring  of  half  a 
dozen  sleepers.  Thereupon,  summoning  Crescenzia 


288  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

for  the  third  time,  I  insisted  on  going  with  him  to 
the  bedside  of  the  somnolent  landlord.  Most  cheer 
fully  the  fellow  complied  with  my  order ;  and, 
arrived  there,  he  seized  the  man  by  the  shoulders, 
and  shook  the  sleep  out  of  him  by  main  force ; 
while  I  stood  by,  holding  a  candle,  and  seeing  that 
the  operation  was  thoroughly  well  done.  Of  course, 
the  amo  de  casa  had  to  open  his  eyes ;  he  yawned, 
stroked  his  beard,  stretched  himself,  and,  rising  in 
his  bed,  made  me  as  polite  a  bow  as  he  well  could, 
while  repressing  another  yawn  by  covering  his  mouth 
with  the  palm  of  his  hand.  He  now  began,  as  I  sup 
posed  he  would,  with  expressing  his  regret  that  he 
had  no  room  in  his  house  unoccupied.  Next,  having 
by  this  time  got  his  feet  out  of  bed,  he  said — what  I 
equally  expected  to  hear — that  he  would  be  able  to 
place  an  apartment  at  my  disposal  in  the  course  of 
the  day.  It  was  the  old  story.  But,  finally,  by  dint 
of  encouraging  him  by  my  regrets  at  having  dis 
turbed  him  at  so  unseasonable  an  hour  of  the  night, 
as  well  as  by  professions  of  respect  for  himself  and 
the  excellent  house  over  which  he  presided,  I  suc 
ceeded  in  getting  him  to  say,  as  he  drew  on  his  pan 
taloons,  that  he  would  order  a  cot  to  be  made  up  in 
the  parlor,  where  I  could  sleep  undisturbed  until  six 
o'clock. 

The   cot   spread,  I   immediately  fell  so  soundly 


A    CUBAN  STEAMER.  289 

asleep  as  not  to  hear  the  waiter  when  he  came,  at 
half  past  five,  to  bring  me  coffee,  in  accordance  with 
the  Spanish  custom  of  drinking  it  in  bed,  prepara 
tory  to  rising  with  the  lark.  However,  there  are  no 
larks,  I  believe,  in  this  country ;  and  one  cannot  say 
here,  with  the  accomplished  author  of  "  Thorndale  "  : 

"  Rise  with  the  lark  ;  your  motions  shall  obtain 
Grace,  be  their  composition  what  it  may, 
If  but  with  hers  performed." 

But  there  are  fighting  cocks ;  and  I  slept  through 
the  crowing  of  no  less  than  seventy  of  them  in  the 
pit,  or  rather  yard,  next  door.  They  had  begun 
their  defiant  chanticleering  not  long  after  my  arrival, 
giving  tongue  in  full  chorus,  the  entire  roost  of 
them ;  and  fiercer  or  more  lusty  crowers,  surely, 
never  were  collected  together  next  door  to  a  hotel. 
Think  how  many  ill-sounding  words  must  have  been 
uttered  over  these  heralds  of  the  dawn  by  the  ner 
vous  invalids  wont  to  come  every  winter  to  this 
island  in  pursuit  of  health,  and  to  this  lodging  house 
in  expectation  of  sleep.  Alas !  to  them  this  pit  full 
of  cocks  must  have  been  of  the  nature  of  the  pit 
Tartarean.  However,  it  was  an  occupation  rather 
amusing  than  otherwise  for  me,  while  waiting  for  a 
place  to  lay  my  head  on,  to  listen  to  the  rivalry 
which  was  going  on  between  the  snoring  sleepers  in 


290  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

an  adjoining  room,  and  these  crowers  in  the  adjoin 
ing  premises — it  being  a  concert  peculiarly  Spanish. 

Matanzas,  I  may  here  add,  is  a  pretty  town,  lying 
with  its  back  against  the  hills,  and  its  front  toward 
the  sea,  which  here  forms  a  spacious  and  convenient 
harbor.  The  town  is  built  a  certain  distance  down 
on  either  side  of  the  water,  in  the  form  of  a  horse 
shoe.  At  one  extremity  lies  the  paseo,  commanding 
a  view  of  the  shipping  ;  and  on  the  other  side  runs 
along  the  line  of  shore  a  pleasant  beach,  abounding 
in  shells,  and  much  frequented  as  a  pleasure  drive. 
Hither  the  lover  of  fair  sea  views  goes  to  see  the  sun 
descend  behind  the  hills,  and  also  to  see  it  rise  in  the 
morning  out  of  the  ocean.  The  paseo  is  a  short 
one ;  but  the  plaza  is  larger  than  that  at  Havana, 
and  well  filled  with  flowers.  On  this  square  are 
many  fine  houses,  built  of  one  story,  but,  in  some 
cases,  extending  from  street  to  street,  and  having  a 
courtyard  in  their  centre,  with  suites  of  rooms 
around  it.  The  drawing  room  is  always  on  the 
street,  as  well  as  the  hall  of  entrance,  in  one  or  the 
other  of  which  stands  the  volante  ;  for  the  volante  is 
kept  in  Cuba  almost  as  much  to  be  seen  as  to  be 
used.  The  bedrooms  are  situated  in  the  rear,  and 
those  occupied  by  the  ladies  have  windows  furnished 
with  iron  gratings,  and  no  doors  opening  externally. 
In  these  chambers  the  pitchers  and  basins  may  be  of 


A    CUBAN  STEAMER.  291 

silver ;  while  in  some  boudoir,  or  place  equally  con 
spicuous,  will  be  displayed  the  family  knives,  and 
forks,  and  spoons.  The  furniture,  however,  is  gen 
erally  very  plain,  it  being  liable  to  be  eaten  up  by 
insects,  and  to  be  injured  by  the  intense  heat  of  sum 
mer.  The  floors  are  laid  in  tiles  or  marble,  making 
the  rooms  look  cool  and  comfortable  in  spite  of  the 
ominous  mosquito  nets.  The  walls  are  mostly  white, 
or  stained  with  little  show  of  art ;  though  a  few  of 
the  best  houses  contain  frescoed  ceilings,  and  even 
such  luxuries  as  a  swimming  bath,  a  gymnasium,  and 
a  small  theatre.  But  the  principal  luxury  generally 
aimed  at  in  building  these  houses  is  a  sufficiency  of 
cool  air ;  so  that  the  rooms  are  large  and  lofty,  and 
incapable  of  being  heated  artificially.  Indeed,  there 
are  no  such  things  as  either  stoves  or  fireplaces,  ex 
cepting  in  the  kitchen.  This  room,  by  the  way, 
though  not  enjoying  a  reputation  for  neatness,  is 
nevertheless,  in  private  houses,  often  kept  thoroughly 
swept  and  scrubbed,  and  looking  every  whit  as  clean 
as  the  drawing  room. 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 

Fig  lit  ing    Cocks. 

BEFORE  falling  asleep  on  the  morning  of  my 
arrival  at  the  hotel,  I  resolved  that  it  should 
be  one  of  the  first  duties  of  the  day  to  visit  the  cock- 
yard  whence  emanated  the  extraordinary  chanticleer- 
ing  mentioned  in  the  preceding  chapter.  Before 
seeing  the  bay  of  Matanzas,  or  the  paseo,  or  the  sea 
beach,  or  the  valley  of  the  Yumori,  I  would  pay  a 
visit  to  these  cocks,  and  compliment  the  Don  who 
owned  them  on  their  remarkable  capacity  of  wind 
pipe. 

In  fact,  I  did  so  before  breakfast,  and  hat  in 
hand.  It  was  then  past  nine  o'clock,  but  the  seventy 
had  not  entirely  finished  heralding  the  morn.  Some 
of  them,  indeed,  seemed  to  be  crowing  over  each 
other ;  and  the  principal  group,  immediately  on  my 
entrance,  all  went  off  in  a  blast  apparently  to  do  me 
honor.  But  my  looks  entreated  silence.  I  wished  to 


FIGHTING    COCKS.  293 

express  without  delay  to  the  Don,  who  stood  before 
me  in  a  rusty  dress  coat,  and  head  tied  up  in  a  black 
silk  nightcap,  my  admiration  of  his  crowers.  And 
when  silence  had  been  obtained,  I  at  once  spread 
myself  out  into  an  immense  circle  of  amplification 
upon  the  great  public  advantage  there  must  be  to  the 
town  in  having  its  inhabitants — men,  women,  and 
children — all  waked  up  betimes  in  the  morning;  a 
period  of  the  day  so  beautiful  in  these  tropical  coun 
tries,  and  so  favorable  everywhere  to  moral  impres 
sions.  The  Don  bowed  his  satisfaction ;  and,  in  a 
strain  even  more  eulogistic,  set  forth  the  honor  I  had 
done  him,  and  his  cocks,  by  this  visit. 

He  then  ordered  the  negroes  in  attendance  to 
show  their  best  birds  ;  and  very  noble,  full-fledged, 
and  high-stepping  fellows  they  were.  Head  and 
tail,  they  were  of  the  brightest  crimson.  They  were 
also  duly  plucked  on  the  back ;  had  their  spurs  on, 
and  stood  as  proudly  erect  on  their  legs  as  formerly 
did  the  cock  immortalized  by  Plato.  Nor,  like  so 
many  young  beaux  in  eyeglasses,  would  one  suffer 
another  to  look  at  him  without  instantly  replying 
with  a  challenge  to  mortal  combat.  And  when  I 
praised  their  haughty  tread,  and  boiling,  tropical 
rage,  the  thin  little  Don,  bowing  almost  to  the 
ground,  unhesitatingly  put  the  entire  roost  at  my  dis 
position — a  su  disposition  de  listed. 


294  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

What  if  I  had  taken  him  at  his  word !  For  the 
man  prized  each  cock  at  I  dare  not  say  how  many 
ounces.  Here  was,  in  fact,  a  considerable  fortune 
carefully  invested  in  roosters,  as  well  as  a  still  great 
er  one  in  anticipation  from  the  doubloons  they  would 
win  in  the  ring. 

"  This  bird,"  said  he,  proudly  pointing  to  one  tied 
near  a  small  hill  of  earth,  "this  fellow  has  killed 
three  competitors ;  that  one  yonder,  four — all  reck 
oned  among  the  best  fighters  on  the  island." 

"  Next  Sunday,"  he  continued,  "  they  will  win 
for  me  a  pile  of  ounces." 

And  he  made  a  significant  gesture  with  his  hand 
to  show  how  high  the  pile  would  rise — himself, 
meanwhile,  strutting  with  as  conquering  an  air  as  if 
he  had  been  one  of  his  own  cocks  ;  his  little  black 
eyes  flashing  with  the  rage  of  combat,  and  his  uncon 
scious  hands  almost  tearing  his  nightcap  to  tatters. 
So  hot  was  his  Castilian  blood  ;  and  so  intensely  was 
felt,  by  anticipation,  the  ire  of  the  day  of  battle,  and 
of  the  pit  stained  with  blood. 

No  doubt,  on  the  following  Sunday,  the  cockpit 
was  crowded  to  its  utmost  capacity.  At  least  that  at 
Havana  was,  the  day  I  saw  it ;  and  it  was  one  capa 
ble  of  holding  a  thousand  persons.  Built  with  an 
open  but  solid  framework,  only  sufficiently  covered 
to  protect  it  from  sun  and  rain,  the  seats  were 


FIGHTING   COCKS.  295 

arranged  story  above  story,  and  were  all  filled  with 
Creoles,  mostly  of  the  middle  class  of  society.  I 
could  almost  imagine  this  tower  ready  to  fall  to  the 
ground  like  that  of  Babel ;  for  speech  was  here  con 
founded  in  the  multitude  of  voices.  The  moment 
the  cocks  had  been  weighed  and  set  in  the  ring,  they 
began  to  pitch  into  each  other  ;  and,  at  that  moment, 
began  also  the  tumultuous  vociferation  of  the  bet 
ting.  Hundreds  of  men,  half  infuriated  from  sym 
pathy  with  the  madness  of  the  fighting  in  the  pit, 
were  crying  to  each  other  from  one  part  of  the 
building  to  the  other,  every  man  pointing  to  his  bird 
with  furious  gesticulation,  and  shouting  at  the  top  of 
his  voice,  "  A  dollar  on  the  red  !  "  "  An  ounce  on  the 
white !  "  And  as,  in  the  progress  of  the  spurring 
and  pecking,  the  red  or  the  white  get  the  nose-bleed, 
or  lose  an  eye,  or  are  knocked  over,  the  betters  cry 
out  to  each  other,  "  Two  ounces  to  one  on  the  red !  " 
"  Two  ounces  to  one  on  the  white !  "  Every  time 
the  bill  draws  blood,  or  there  is  a  hit  of  the  spurs, 
the  discord  of  the  voices  rises  higher ;  and  then, 
when  one  of  the  cocks  seems  to  give  indications  of 
having  had  quite  enough  of  the  fight,  it  lulls  again. 
This  lasts  until  one  of  the  two  combatants  falls  life 
less  to  the  ground.  Then,  for  a  few  minutes,  there  is 
comparative  silence,  interrupted  only  by  the  jingling 
of  the  gold  and  silver  passing  from  hand  to  hand. 


296  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

For,  wherever  there  is  cock-fighting,  there  is  bet 
ting  ;  pockets  are  emptied  of  small  gains  ;  and 
doubloons,  too,  are  tossed  about  with  the  duros. 

But  can  anything  be  either  more  absurd  or  hard 
hearted,  than  this  enthusiasm  of  men  over  the  paltry 
rage  of  a  couple  of  roosters !  And  no  wonder  that, 
in  countries  where  such  amusements  prevail,  the 
national  face  is  so  little  expressive  of  sensibility  and 
delicate  emotion. 


CHAPTER    XXX. 
A  Matanzas  Fonda. 

BY  half  past  nine  o'clock  I  had  returned  from 
the  cockyard  to  the  Fonda,  and  was  ready  for 
breakfast.  And  an  excellent  Spanish  breakfast  it 
proved  to  be,  with  Catalan  wine,  which,  in  these 
tropics,  I  drank  with  greater  relish  than  formerly  in 
Catalonia.  But  the  chef-d' 'ceuvrc  of  the  meal  was,  I 
will  not  say,  the  beefsteak  pie,  so  much  relished  by 
the  Cubans,  but  the  tortilla  con  seso.  This  is  a  very 
famous  dish.  You  may  not  relish  the  idea  of  a  brain 
omelette,  but  you  will  be  a  happy  man  the  day  you 
taste  its  reality.  I  could  tell  you  how  to  make  it,  if 
it  would  be  of  any  use.  And,  indeed,  not  to  leave 
your  curiosity  unsatisfied,  know  that  there  must  be  a 
small  cup  of  boiled  seso;  nor  be  disturbed  at  the 
thought  of  adding  half  the  quantity  of  chopped 
onions.  A  delicate  flavor  of  parsley  also,  must  per 
vade  it.  It  must  be  hot  with  pepper.  And  when 


208  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

you  know  that  four  eggs  are  to  be  added,  you  know 
all  that  can  well  be  told  about  it.  Then,  if  you  do 
not  succeed  to  your  mind  in  making  it,  take  a  trip  to 
Matanzas  some  day,  and  get  permission  to  see  it  done 
by  the  cook  of  the  fonda. 

But  there  is  one  thing  I  cannot  explain  to  you  at 
all ;  and  that  is,  why  prima  donnas  should  expose 
themselves  at  the  public  breakfast  tables  without 
their  faces  being  painted.  It  causes  such  a  perfect 
disenchantment,  that  no  one  who  has  beheld  them 
under  such  circumstances  in  the  morning,  can  possi 
bly  get  up  the  illusion  requisite  for  enjoying  the 
entertainment  of  the  stage  in  the  evening.  It  also 
might  puzzle  me  to  tell  why  American  ladies  should 
come  to  breakfast  in  dresses  decolletees.  So  much 
dressing  at  this  early  hour  was  certainly  very  ill- 
suited  to  the  apartment  in  which  the  meal  was 
served,  it  being  no  other  than  the  hall  of  entrance, 
with  its  porte  cochere,  and  opening,  without  any 
door,  on  the  inner  courtyard.  ISTor  was  the  drawing 
room  itself  much  better  adapted  to  the  exhibition  of 
over-elegant  toilets  ;  for  there  the  gentlemen  smoked 
their  cigars  in  the  presence  of  the  ladies ;  and  there 
suddenly  appeared,  one  morning,  in  the  midst  of  the 
assembled  company,  the  landlord's  horse,  who  pro 
ceeded  through  the  room  as  quietly  as  if  he  had 
been  a  guest  of  the  house,  and  quite  as  unconcerned 


A  MATANZAS  FONDA,  299 

at  the  remarks  which  were  made  about  him.  He 
was  on  his  way  to  the  stable,  the  door  of  which  he 
seemed  perfectly  well  able  to  distinguish  from  the 
others  standing  open  in  its  vicinity.  He  even  knew 
enough  to  stop  before  a  clothes  line  stretched  across 
the  court ;  standing  there  until  the  wet  linen  had 
been  lifted  for  him  to  pass  under.  Truly  a  very 
sagacious  brute,  and  well-behaved  ! 

My  room  was  on  the  first  floor,  as  were  all  others, 
and  so  convenient  of  access  that,  on  entering  it,  I 
could  but  recall  to  mind  the  case  of,  the  stout  lady 
from  Cuba,  who,  being  so  unfortunate  as  to  have  an 
apartment  in  the  fifth  story  of  one  of  the  hotels  in 
New  York,  resorted  to  the  trick  of  fainting  every 
time  she  came  in  from  the  street,  in  order  that  she 
might  be  carried  up  stairs  by  the  waiters.  The  ruse 
answered  very  well  for  a  time ;  until,  one  day,  Pat 
rick  and  James  vowed  that  they  would  be  blistered 
before  they  would  carry  the  lady  up  any  more, 
unless  they  had  each  a  quarter  for  it.  Whereupon 
the  lady  ceased  fainting. 

My  room  opened  on  the  inner  court,  by  a  door 
large  enough  to  admit  two  horses  abreast ;  and  of 
the  same  size  w^as  the  window,  which  had  heavy 
wooden  shutters  inside,  and  a  still  more  heavy  iron 
grating  without.  There  being  no  glass,  the  passer 
by  looked  through  the  open  grating  upon  the  occu- 


300  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

pants  of  the  apartment,  very  much  as,  in  a  menage 
rie,  he  would  take  a  peep  at  the  lions.  'There,  at 
half  past  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  appeared  the 
venerable  black  woman  who  brought  me  coffee,  and 
peeled  oranges ;  and  so  black,  withal,  was  she,  as 
almost  to  put  out  the  breaking  light  of  the  dawn, 
bringing  back  Erebus  and  the  old  night.  Certainly 
she  would  have  done  it,  but  for  the  lighted  end  of 
her  cigar,  and  the  white  of  her  eyes.  There  is,  in 
fact,  no  such  thing  as  privacy  in  a  Cuban  fonda. 
The  partitions-  between  the  rooms  extend  only  two 
thirds  of  the  way  up  to  the  ceiling ;  so  that  all  con 
versation  not  carried  on  in  an  undertone  is  necessa 
rily  overheard  by  your  nearest  neighbors.  If,  in 
their  sleep,  any  of  them  happen  to  have  the  night 
mare,  you  are  sure  to  know  it ;  while  every  word 
Mrs.  Caudle  says  to  Mr.  Caudle  goes  through  half 
the  house,  and  terrifies  all  the  husbands. 

Nor  was  I  the  sole  occupant  of  my  apartment. 
For  in  one  corner,  between  the  rafters — all  of  which 
were  uncovered — a  couple  of  very  loquacious  bats 
had  built  their  nest.  And,  though  quiet  through  the 
day,  they  kept  up,  at  night,  a  perpetual  chattering. 
Judging  from  the  noise,  one  would  have  said  there 
was  a  large  family  of  bat-children  in  the  nest.  They 
certainly  had  a  great  deal  to  say  for  themselves ; 
but,  for  my  part,  I  never  spoke  to  them,  nor  in  any 


A   MATANZAS  FONDA.  301 

way  gave  them  to  understand  that  I  was  aware  of 
their  presence  ;  so  that,  in  fact,  the  two  families — 
mine  and  theirs — though  living  in  the  same  apart 
ment,  took  as  little  notice  of  each  other  as  might 
have  done  any  two  parties  of  Englishmen  thrown 
together  by  chance  on  their  travels.  The  beams  of 
the  roof  had  been  left  bare  for  the  sake  of  better 
ventilation ;  as,  for  the  sake  of  the  additional  cool 
ness,  the  floor  had  been  laid  in  cement.  The  walls 
also  were  of  a  cold  color,  being  whitewashed.  The 
couches  had  no  mattresses,  and  did  not  look  at  all 
hot,  like,  for  example,  the  feather  beds  of  the  Teu 
tonic  nations.  On  two  slender  tripods  stood  two 
very  small  white  basins.  There  was  one  pine  table, 
and  on  it  a  toilet  glass  twelve  inches  by  eighteen. 
A  row  of  nails  driven  into  the  wall  answered  the 
purpose  of  a  wardrobe,  and  had  probably  been 
driven  there  by  some  travelling  Yankee,  who  had 
the  wit  to  invent  this  species  of  clothespress.  There 
was  no  carpet  on  the  floor  ;  but  before  the  two  beds 
lay  two  rugs,  luckily  of  a  pattern  so  small  as  to  pre 
clude  the  idea  that  the  fleas  of  the  house  could  pos 
sibly  think  of  having  a  w^ake  or  mass  meeting  under 
them.  Such  were  the  quarters  wherein  I  passed  a 
week  most  happily,  if  not  comfortably ;  and  to  the 
credit  of  the  Cuban  family  in  the  ceiling,  be  it  re- 


302  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

peated,  that,  during   all  this  time,  they  picked  no 
quarrel  with  me. 

The  nails  which  the  sagacious  Yankee  had  driven 
into  the  wall  of  my  room  answered  still  another  ex 
cellent  purpose ;  for  thereupon,  every  morning,  was 
hung  the  day's  supply  of  fruit.  A  big  basket  held 
the  oranges ;  the  bananas  were  suspended  by  their 
branches,  and  the  pines  were  tied  up  by  strings  ;  but 
the  cocoanuts  were  more  conveniently  heaped  in  a 
corner.  With  all  this  abundance  of  sweet  stores, 
and  a  bottle  of  Catalan  wine,  I  pleased  myself  with 
the  thought  that  I  could  easily  endure  a  famine,  or  a 
siege  of  twenty-four  hours'  duration ;  and,  certainly, 
the  plank  door,  as  well  as  the  iron  gratings  of  the 
windows,  would  have  held  out  that  length  of  time 
against  any  reasonable  number  of  beggars  or  bandits. 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 

Tli  e    Cu  m  bre. 

IF  you  happen,  toward  evening,  to  be  standing  in 
the  doorway  of  your  fonda  at  Matanzas,  and 
see  a  very  good-looking  negro  drive  up,  with  a 
couple  of  stout  horses  and  a  tolerably  neat  volante, 
do  not  think  of  engaging  him  for  an  excursion,  next 
morning,  to  the  valley  of  the  Yumori.  He  will  ask 
eight  dollars  and  a  half  for  about  three  hours'  ser 
vice.  He  will  agree  to  go  even  for  six — I  dare  say 
for  five  ;  but  the  trouble  is,  that  he  will  not  come  to 
fulfil  the  engagement  at  either  price.  Should  you 
appoint  the  hour  of  sunrise  for  the  setting  off — the 
time  of  day  when  the  nosotros  and  genuine  Spanish 
Christians  usually  begin  their  journeys  —  you  will 
have  the  satisfaction  of  getting  up  early,  and  waiting 
all  the  morning  for  a  black  man  ;  but  he  will  not 
come.  He  will  not  come — and  this  is  the  key  to  this 


304  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

small  mystery — unless  ordered  by  your  landlord,  who 
shares  with  him  the  fee. 

Accordingly,  I  ordered  my  volante  in  the  regular 
way,  through  mine  host.  I  desired  it  to  come  at  five 
o'clock,  and  it  arrived  at  six ;  which  was  very  good 
luck,  considering  the  dilatory  habits  of  the  gentry  of 
the  whip  in  Matanzas.  And  how  pleasant  it  is  to  set 
off  on  an  expedition  to  the  country  in  the  freshness 
of  the  Southern  morning  !  In  fine  style  the  tandem 
took  us  through  the  streets,  already  astir  with  indus 
try ;  and  as  we  crossed  the  bridge,  the  bay  was 
flooded  with  the  amber  light  of  sunrise.  The  ship 
ping  lay  partially  enveloped  in  a  mist,  which  was  like 
dust  of  gold ;  while  the  ripples  on  the  water,  just 
awaking  from  their  night's  slumbers,  resembled  a 
wide  expanse  of  gilded  fretwork.  We  gazed  with 
delight  at  the  fair,  artistic  scene,  as  we  passed  on 
along  the  paseo  /  and,  after  reaching  the  hillside  be 
yond  the  town,  turning  around,  we  gazed  again  ;  for 
it  was,  indeed,  a  genuine  Claude,  and  no  copy. 

Ah,  how  fresh,  how  still  was  that  morning  air ! 
how  blue  the  sky  overhead,  and  white  the  thin, 
fleecy  clouds  that  floated  in  it,  as  the  volante  wound 
its  way  up  the  gentle  acclivities  of  the  Cumbre ! 
The  heavy  dews  of  the  night,  which  had  been 
brought  down  by  the  laud  wind  to  this  margin  of 
shore,  lay  in  drops  in  the  hollow  of  every  leaf,  and 


THE  CUMBRE.  305 

hung  from  every  blade  of  grass  and  projecting  point 
of  vegetation.  We  climbed  up  the  road  of  rocks, 
between  flowering  hedges  and  thickets  draped  with 
morning  glories  delicately  pink-tinted.  The  fields  011 
either  side  were  crowded  with  a  rank  growth  of 
strange  plants  and  shrubs,  mingled  with  flowers  of 
such  gorgeous  beauty  as  is  becoming  on  an  island 
lying  so  directly  in  the  eye  of  the  sun. 

It  was  a  region  of  country  much  neglected  by  the 
owners  of  the  soil,  but  wherein  nature  wrought  with 
irrepressible  power,  and  with  a  satisfaction  appar 
ently  none  the  less  deeply  felt  by  herself  for  not 
being  noticed  by  the  eye  of  man.  At  all  the  villas 
by  the  wayside,  including  those  which  stood  unoccu 
pied,  and  with  broken  gates,  we  saw  groves  of  crim 
son  oleanders,  here  endowed  with  fragrance.  For 
long  distances  by  the  roadside  there  were  magnifi 
cent  rows  of  aloes,  at  this  season  just  out  of  flower ; 
the  very  stone  walls  were  tipped  with  cactus,  or 
hung  with  jessamines  ;  and  scarcely  a  bank  or  patch 
of  grass  was  anywhere  to  be  seen  of  which  the  flow 
ers  did  not  make  a  fair  enamel.  Here  and  there  we 
passed  under  specks  of  shade,  cast  by  palms,  and 
pines,  and  wild  oranges.  Cattle,  also,  we  saw 
browsing  in  the  pastures,  and  striped-faced  goats 
nibbling  by  the  roadside,  and  flocks  of  sheep  on  the 
distant  hilltops. 


306  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

As  we  mounted  the  upper  heights,  the  air  became 
still  purer  than  below.  To  the  golden  haze  of  the 
morning  succeeded  the  more  brilliant  light  of  the  sun, 
shining  in  full  splendor,  without  a  cloud.  The  blue 
waters  of  the  bay  lay  far  beneath  us  ;  while  the 
ocean,  whitened  by  many  coming  and  going  sails, 
stretched  away  beyond  reach  of  the  eye.  Alas ! 
what  lacked  the  heights  of  the  Cumbre,  surmounted 
by  graceful  palm  trees,  and  blooming  with  flowers 
just  washed  in  the  dews  of  the  morning — what 
lacked  this  view  of  mountain,  and  plain,  and  shore ; 
of  city,  and  harbor,  and  the  sea  ?  Only  the  nightin 
gales  of  the  Pyrenees  arid  Sorrento  ! 

Perhaps,  however,  there  is  one  more  thing  to  be 
desired  on  these  beautiful  mountain  tops ;  and  that 
is,  better  roads  whereby  to  reach  them.  As  it  was, 
we  came  by  a  mere  cart  track,  so  full  of  rocks  and 
stones,  and  all  manner  of  holes,  that  none  but  well- 
trained  animals  could  pick  their  way  through  them  ; 
while  no  carriages  with  wheels  less  large  and  cum 
brous  than  those  of  the  volante  would  escape  a 
breakdown.  Nevertheless,  in  this  buoyant  air  one 
can  hardly  experience  the  sensation  of  fatigue,  and 
instantly  forgets  the  toil  of  the  ascent  the  moment 
the  height  is  gained,  from  which  he  looks  down  upon 
the  valley  of  the  Yumori. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  Matanzas  there  is,  truly, 


THE  CUMBRE.  307 

no  second  sight  to  be  seen  after  it ;  and  whoever,  on 
beholding  the  bay  of  Naples,  failed  to  be  overtaken 
by  the  wish  to  close  his  eyes  on  all  sublunary  scenes, 
may  possibly  feel  that  he  lias  reached  his  final  climax 
when  once  he  has  seen  the  Yuinori.  Its  features  are 
well  known  to  those  who  are  familiar  with  printed 
descriptions  of  this  island ;  for  it  is  the  lifelong 
boast  of  all  travellers  who  have  ever  seen  it.  Every 
tourist  will  tell  you  that  it  is  like  the  happy  valley 
of  Rasselas,  prince  of  Abyssinia ;  and  you  will  do 
well  to  believe  him.  For,  imagine  yourself  standing 
on  the  summits  of  the  Cumbre,  and  looking*  down 
into  a  valley  encircled  by  mountains,  as  if  it  had 
formerly  been  the  bottom  of  a  great  lake.  Around 
its  entire  edge  it  is  filled  with  softly  rounded  hills, 
sloping  gently  toward  its  centre,  which  consists  of  a 
comparatively  level  plain.  And  on  the  tops  and  sides 
of  all  these  gracefully  rolling  hills,  as  well  as  at  in 
tervals  throughout  the  plain,  imagine  innumerable 
palm  trees,  white  stemmed  and  green  topped,  stand 
ing  either  alone,  or  gathered  in  open  groups.  They 
form  the  drapery  of  the  landscape,  which,  when  I 
saw  it,  was  more  beautiful  from  being,  in  the  remote 
distance,  partially  veiled  by  the  still  lingering  mists 
of  the  morning.  How  lovely  not  only  these  dark 
palms,  like  the  cattle  on  a  thousand  hills,  but  how 
soft  and  fair  the  green  of  the  sugar  plant  which  cov- 


308  TO  DIXIE  AND    TEE  TROPICS, 

ered  the  greater  part  of  the  vales  and  hillsides ! 
Even  those  declivities  the  soil  of  which  had  been 
recently  turned  by  the  plough,  being  of  a  rich  brown 
or  chocolate  color,  heightened  the  beauty  of  the 
mosaic  landscape ;  while  the  few  hills  which  were 
not  under  cultivation,  but  overgrown  with  wild  shrub 
bery,  displayed  the  purple  tints  of  English  moors,  or 
of  the  heaths  of  Scotland.  We  lingered  long  in  the 
presence  of  this  great  beauty  of  nature,  and  de 
clared,  as  we  drove  along  the  mountain's  brow,  over 
looking  it,  that  this  was  a  happy  valley,  whether  or 
not  that  of  Rasselas.  And,  far  below,  we  descried 
on  one  of  these  rounded  hilltops  a  snug  little  villa, 
with  its  gardens  and  palm  groves,  which  we  affirmed 
should  henceforth  be  numbered  among  our  chateaux 
en  Espagne.  Two  or  three  other  villas,  at  which  we 
stopped  on  our  way,  were  also  pretty ;  and  at  one 
of  them  we  were  hospitably  entertained  with  such 
oranges  as  no  prince  of  Abyssinia  ever  tasted ;  with 
cigars  which  were  the  very  topmost  leaf  and  flower 
of  all  tobacco  ;  and  with  a  glass  of  whiskey  that 
was  as  the  dew  of  the  mountain,  even  of  this  bread 
mountain,  called  Pan  de  Matanzas.  We  here  saw 
coffee  and  cotton  plants,  as  wrcll  as  the  sugar  cane  in 
different  stages  of  growth,  and  the  process  of  sugar 
making.  We  likewise  tasted,  for  the  first  time,  the 
sweetness  of  this  Southern  reed,  the  negro  in  attend- 


THE  GUMBRE  309 

ance  peeling  it  with  his  knife,  and  handing  it  to  us  to 
be  sucked,  as  do  small  boys  their  sticks,  one  end  in 
paper,  of  molasses  candy.  It  made  a  tropical  and 
rather  refreshing  entertainment ;  though,  to  my 
taste,  this  is  one  of  the  few  sweets  of  life  which  are 
a  trifle  too  much  sweetened.  Meanwhile,  our  ears 
were  likewise  entertained  with  the  novel  cries  and 
songs  of  the  neighboring  sugar  house,  and  the  clatter 
of  the  mules,  as,  driven  by  half-naked  boys  and  girls, 
with  whip  in  hand,  they  kept  in  motion  this  grand 
hurly-burly  of  the  grinding.  Servants  everywhere 
attended  us  in  our  joyful  progress  about  the  estate, 
all  grinning  to  do  us  pleasure.  They  gathered  for 
us  gorgeous  bouquets  of  flowers ;  while  one  of  the 
dusky  damsels  more  comely  than  the  rest,  and,  in 
deed,  of  blood  almost  purely  Spanish,  wore  orange 
blossoms  in  her  hair — the  only  ones  we  had  seen  so 
worn  on  the  island.  Specimens  of  tropical  fruits 
were  eagerly  exhibited ;  and  a  nimble  black  boy, 
greatly  to  our  amusement,  shinned  up  a  palm  to  cut 
some  cocoanuts.  A  very  sleek  and  happy-looking 
set  of  servants  were  they  all  at  this  chateau.  The 
gobblers  which  greeted  us  in  the  .courtyard,  and 
spread  their  tails  in  honor  of  our  arrival,  were  not 
more  swollen  and  puffed  than  were  these  fellows, 
men  and  maids,  all  blown  with  hilarity  and  joy  at 


310  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

the  coming  of  the  strangers  from  parts  to  them  un 
known. 

And  so,  after  an  excursion  of  three  hours'  length 
prolonged  to  six,  we  drove  up  to  the  doors  of  our 
fonda,  as  ha'ppy  as  the  morning  had  been  long,  and 
as  hungry  as  a  man  should  be  who  sits  down  to  the 
tortillas  of  mine  excellent  landlady. 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

A   Cuban  Railway. 

FROM  Matanzas  to  Havana  I  went  by  rail. 
Some  Spanish  gentlemen  of  my  acquaintance 
endeavored  to  dissuade  me  from  proceeding  by  land, 
inasmuch  as  the  railroad,  being  a  monopoly,  is  used 
principally  for  the  transportation  of  sugar ;  and,  so 
long  as  the  freight  trains  can  be  kept  on  the  track, 
small  pains  are  taken  about  the  comfort  or  safety  of 
passengers.  Three  or  four  times  in  the  week  the 
passenger  trains  run  off  the  road,  or  are  delayed  on 
it  in  consequence  of  the  failure  of  the  engines.  To 
be  sure,  no  lives  are  lost,  the  engineers  always  select 
ing  soft  places  to  go  off  on,  and  performing  the 
operation  in  the  very  gentlest  manner  possible.  But, 
though  one's  neck  be  not  broken,  he  may  be  detained 
half  a  day  in  an  open  plain,  parched  by  the  sun  of 
the  tropics,  or  he  may  be  kept  over  night  where  it 
will  cost  him  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  to  order  a  sup- 


'.V-fl    THE  TROPICS. 


per,  which,  W!K-T;  -er  be  served,  or, 

when  served,  will  never  be  eaten.  However,  I  went 
by  the  rail.  '\ 

The  train  started  at  sunrise  ;  and  it  would  be 
superfluous  to  say  that  it  was  a  fine  morning  ;  but  it 
may  be  worth  remarking,  that  we  set  off  on  the 
stroke  of  six,  as  punctuality  is  a  rare  virtue  so  near 
the  equator.  It  made  a  very  good  start,  but,  before 
getting  more  than  four  or  five  miles  out  of  town, 
suddenly  came  to  a  full  stop  in  the  open  country. 
This  was  a  halt  requiring  explanation  ;  and,  upon 
inquiry,  it  turned  out  that  the  conductor  had  re 
ceived  a  signal  at  a  certain  point  on  the  road,  which 
induced  him  to  stop,  after  he  had  got  about  a  mile 
beyond  it.  He  then  sent  back  a  man  on  foot,  while 
the  train  was  kept  waiting.  Why  the  train  itself 
did  not  go  back  —  as  to  have  done  so  would  have 
taken  comparatively  little  time  —  it  was  not  easy  to 
guess.  Indeed,  the  conductor  himself  finally  walked 
back  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  and  then,  turning  about, 
walked  forward  again.  All  these  movements  were 
very  Spanish,  and  quite  inexplicable. 

But  the  long  delay  gave  the  officials  having 
charge  of  the  train  an  opportunity  to  inspect  its 
condition,  and  see  what  might  have  given  out  in  the 
course  of  the  run  of  four  or  five  miles.  Nor  did  it 
take  long  to  ascertain  that  something  had  gone 


A    CUBAN  RAILWAY.  313 

wrong.  We  had  broken  a  brake,  one  end  of  which 
lay  upon  the  ground,  and  looked  as  though  it  had 
not  succumbed  a  moment  before  its  time.  However, 
we  got  on  quite  as  well  without  the  brake  as  with  it. 
Nothing  more  came  to  pieces  during  the  journey  ; 
and  we  kept  the  track  to  the  end.  The  Chinese 
appeared  to  make  sufficiently  intelligent  brakemen ; 
while  some  of  them  also  supplied  the  passengers, 
from  time  to  time,  with  peeled  oranges.  At  one  of 
the  stations  I  bought  most  delicious  cheese  cakes, 
served  on  green  banana  leaves ;  so  delicious,  indeed, 
that  uxorious  husbands  have  been  known  to  be 
tempted  to  repeat  this  journey  simply  for  the  sake 
of  giving  their  wives  another  taste  of  them. 

One  more  Spanish  peculiarity,  however,  noticed 
in  the  running  of  the  road,  was,  that,  after  the  acci 
dent  to  the  brake,  the  engineer  backed  the  train  a 
hundred  yards  or  more,  apparently  for  no  other  pur 
pose  than  that  of  starting  it ;  as  when,  in  leaping,  a 
man  steps  back  a  few  paces,  in  order  to  give  himself 
a  better  chance  for  accomplishing  the  feat  success 
fully.  So,  at  Guines,  the  train  backed  a  full  mile 
before  leaving.  It  might  possibly  have  been  for  the 
purpose  of  allowing  another  train  to  pass  ;  but  I  sus 
pected  that  the  conductor  thought  it  necessary  to 
take  unusual  pains  not  to  make  a  bad  start,  inasmuch 

as  the  day  was  Friday. 
14 


314  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

The  country  through  which  the  road  passes,  being 
occupied  chiefly  by  sugar  plantations,  is  beautiful 
throughout,  and,  in  some  places,  picturesque.  The 
palm  trees,  of  the  sight  of  which  one  never  tires, 
escorted  us  in  groups  and  groves  the  whole  distance 
to  Havana,  as  the  stars  had  previously  done  on  our 
way  along  the  coast  to  Matanzas.  And  scarcely  less 
graceful  than  the  palms  were  the  thickets  of  reeds, 
which  grew  in  clusters  by  the  roadside.  If  the  for 
mer  trees  reminded  us,  by  the  color  of  their  stems, 
of  the  white  birch  of  our  Northern  home,  so  the 
delicate  leaves,  slender  branches,  and  bending  heads 
of  the  latter  brought  to  mind,  also,  the  graceful  foli 
age  of  this  well-called  lady  of  the  woods.  The 
mango  tree  resembles  our  chestnut,  presenting  a 
dense  mass  of  green  leaves,  the  extremities  of  which, 
at  this  season,  are  tipped  with  the  orange  and  purple 
of  the  bursting  buds.  Interspersed  together  were 
everywhere  to  be  seen  magnolias,  with  their  large, 
glossy,  dark-green  leaves ;  tall  pines  of  a  delicate 
shade  of  bluish  green,  and  lightly  fringed  with 
needles ;  and  orange  trees  at  the  same  time  golden 
with  fruit  and  white  with  blossoms.  Here  towered 
the  ceiba  tree  with  its  strong,  graceful  stem,  and 
wore  its  crown  of  rich  green  leaves  above  the  tops 
even  of  the  palms.  The  darker  mameys  were  loaded 
with  fruit  gray-colored ;  the  napota  tree  with  fruit 


A    CUBAN  RAILWAY,  315 

of  brown ;  the  tamarind  drooped  with  pods ;  the 
calabash  was  hung  with  round  balls  ;  the  leaves  of 
the  banana  were  swayed  by  the  wind,  revealing  its 
fruit  clusters  and  buds  of  violet ;  while  only  here 
and  there  the  cypress  cast  from  its  mournful  boughs 
a  frown  on  the  smiling  face  of  the  landscape.  Up 
many  a  lordly  stem  climbed  the  female  fig — yuagua 
embra — holding  it  in  a  beautiful  though  fatal  em 
brace  ;  the  lovely  convolvulus,  entwining  itself  around 
the  trunks  of  dead  monarchs  of  the  woods,  decked 
them  with  palls  of  white  flowers  ;  and  innumerable 
tops  of  tall  trees  were  tufted  with  A'arious  parasitical 
plants,  the  orchids  and  the  aloes,  all  their  flowers 
laughing  in  the  sunlight,  or  dancing  in  the  wind. 
Many  misshapen  forms,  indeed,  come  to  view  in  these 
tropical  woods  ;  and  in  the  midst  of  all  this  abound 
ing  life  there  is  constant  decay.  But  the  grace  of 
parasitical  plants  creeping  everywhere,  and  beautiful 
with  every  tint  of  flowers,  is  hung  like  a  veil  over 
the  deformity  of  nature. 

The  undergrowth  of  shrubbery,  likewise,  is  most 
luxuriant,  and  shows  much  gorgeous  coloring.  The 
wild  passion-flowers  are  of  many  different  varieties  ; 
the  hedges  are  covered  with  several  kinds  of  convol 
vulus  ;  the  fever-flower  flaunts  in  flame  and  gold ; 
the  species  of  aloe  plant,  called  peta,  burns  a  stately 
candelabra  with  fire  of  yellow ;  the  mangroves  hold 


316  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS 

out  to  the  passer-by  white  chalices  full  of  perfume ; 
the  apple  rose  scents  the  air  around  it  so  deliciously 
as  to  hold  all  footsteps,  as  in  an  enchanted  circle, 
spellbound;  the  wild  heliotrope  runs  modestly  by 
road  and  path  sides  ;  while  everywhere  fly,  amid  the 
flowers  and  the  sunshine,  humming  birds  and  butter 
flies,  and  countless  insects,  all  flashing  with  the  tints 
of  precious  stones  and  the  bow  in  heaven.  All  the 
forms  of  nature  were  high  colored — flowers,  foliage, 
the  sky,  and  even  the  very  ground  itself.  Indeed, 
the  red  dust  which  occasionally  filled  the  railway  car 
riages  painted  as  well  as  powdered  all  our  faces,  and 
imparted  to  our  travelling  dresses  a  tinge  quite  as 
warm  as  that  of  the  landscape.  But,  in  spite  of  the 
clouds  of  dust  which  we  had  to  encounter  at  some 
few  points  on  the  road,  it  was  a  pure  delight  to 
breathe  the  air  of  the  open  country ;  and  I  remem 
ber  that,  after  our  luncheon  of  oranges,  bought  from 
the  palm  basket  of  the  Chinese  brakeman,  we  not 
only  pronounced  the  juice  equal  in  sweetness  to  that 
of  the  apples  which  tempted  the  first  of  women,  but 
would  have  it  that  the  island  itself  was  not  a  very 
bad  copy  of  the  original  Eden. 

At  any  rate,  'tis  hard  leaving  it.  Indeed,  the 
difficulty  of  getting  away  from  Spanish  countries  is 
greater  than  persons  who  have  never  visited  them 
can  well  imagine.  To  arrive,  is,  generally,  no  easy 


A    CUBAN  RAILWAY.  317 

matter  ;  but  to  depart — there's  the  rub.  It  costs 
just  double  the  money  to  get  out  that  it  does  to  get 
in,  and  more  than  double  the  trouble.  For  exam 
ple  :  the  porter,  when  I  went  to  the  hotel  in  Havana, 
charged  me  a  dollar  and  a  half ;  when  I  left  it,  three 
dollars.  The  boatman  asked  one  for  landing,  two 
for  embarking.  The  passport  fee  was,  on  arriving, 
two  dollars  ;  on  departing,  four.  Landlord,  porter, 
boatman,  official,  all  act  on  the  principle  of  fleecing 
the  parting  guest,  not  speeding  him.  Nor,  even 
after  having  satisfied  the  demands,  just  and'  unjust, 
of  these  Avorthies,  can  a  man  leave  the  island  except 
by  permission  of  his  wife  ;  for,  under  the  Spanish 
law,  she  can  stop  him,  by  showing  cause. 


CHAPTER   XXXIIL 

N~a ssau  —  A     Wi nter    JVe wp ort. 

IN  eight-and-forty  hours,  or  less,  one  may  steam 
from  Havana  to  Nassau,  and  see  the  tropical 
Englishman — a  sight  worth  seeing.  Leaving  the 
island  of  the  black-haired,  olive-faced  men,  and  mak 
ing  a  short  run  across  the  northern  tropic,  the  trav 
eller  is  again  among  the  blue  eyes,  and  complexions 
which  take  on  freckles.  At  the  same  time,  he  feels 
that  he  has  reached  once  more  a  free  country ;  that 
he  has  passed  from  beneath  the  law  of  military  force, 
under  that  of  liberty  and  a  protecting  public  opinion. 
Here  are  no  more  stilettoes,  no  grated  windows,  nor 
the  heavily  barred  doors  of  the  Spaniards.  The 
Nassauese  have  not,  it  is  true,  either  paseos,  or  gui 
tars  at  night  beneath  the  moon  ;  but,  instead  of  Do- 
menica's,  here  are  the  town  library  and  reading 
room  ;  instead  of  the  opera,  here  are  concerts  and 
lectures  once  a  fortnight  at  the  Bahama  Institute ; 


NASSAU— A    WINTER  NEWPORT.  319 

fashionable  calls,  between  the  hours  of  twelve  and 
three,  take  the  place  of  the  midday  siesta  •  and  the 
stranger  who  has  been  entertained  with  ices  and 
volantes,  finds  himself  once  more  asked  to  dinner. 

Indeed,  my  dear  reader,  you  might  even  risk  the 
voyage  direct  from  New  York,  for  the  sake  of  ex- 
chan'ging,  for  once,  your  Northern  winter  for  the 
perpetual  summer  of  this  green  little  island,  so 
piously  called  New  Providence,  and  so  conveniently 
anchored  just  on  the  shady  side  of  the  Tropic  of 
Cancer.  Such  a  change  of  residence,  once  in  half  a 
dozen  years,  would  cure  all  your  chilblains,  and  even 
lengthen  the  days  of  your  life  ;  inasmuch  as  the  win 
ter's  sun  rises  here  an  hour  earlier,  and  lingers  at 
evening  an  hour  later  above  the  horizon.  Sitting,  in 
the  month  of  January,  with  open  windows,  and  look 
ing  out  upon  the  golden  fruits  hanging  amid  the 
leaves  so  deeply  green,  one  can  scarcely  refrain  from 
wondering  why  the  frost-bitten  nations  do  not  every 
winter  follow  the  sun  to  the  south,  pouring  down 
into  these  Hesperides  as  formerly  the  rough  Goths 
and  Vandals  descended  into  the  sunny  plains  of 
Italy. 

Come,  then,  once  before  you  die — come  along 
with  the  migratory  birds  to  the  islands  of  perpetual 
serenity,  where  the  great  god  of  day  will  have  a 
chance  to  melt  the  icicles  out  of  your  beard,  and 


320  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

cure  your  rheumatism,  like  a  doctor.  It  will  be  a 
change  for  you,  my  hyperborean  friend,  second  only 
to  that  of  being  born  again.  And  do  not  think  that 
you  will  see  snakes  here,  or  centipedes ;  do  not  be 
alarmed  by  the  bugbear  of  bedbugs ;  and  don't  get 
unduly  excited  at  the  thought  of  a  single  mosquito 
buzzing  at  night  under  your  curtains,  or  of  a  flea  or 
two,  instead  of  the  good  angels  keeping  watch  and 
ward  over  you  while  you  sleep.  My  word  for  it, 
nobody  will  see  snakes  here,  excepting  those  persons 
who  look  for  them  ;  and  nobody  but  the  most  deter 
mined  sight-seers  will  be  shocked  at  anything  much 
worse  than  the  beautiful  chameleons,  and  the  lizards, 
which  from  tree  and  wall  do  sometimes  curse  the 
passing  negroes.  So,  throwing  over  your  head  your 
furs  and  muffler,  your  mittens  and  jack  boots,  your 
two  top-coats  and  umbrella,  come  down  here  by  the 
"  Cunarder " — since  Collins  and  the  Yankees  have 
gone  to  the  bottom — and,  making  yourself  comfort 
able  in  a  thin  jacket  and  slippers,  get  into  one  of 
these  hammocks,  slung  on  the  cool  side  of  the  piazza, 
and  rest  yourself,  after  so  many  years  of  pacing  up 
and  down  Broadway,  and  around  the  Boston  Com 
mon. 

But  as  to  the  tropical  Englishman  whom  you 
have  come  to  see,  the  most  remarkable  thing  about 
him  is  that  he  is  an  Englishman  still.  He  may  be  a 


NASSAU—  A    WINTER  NEWPORT.  321 

little  less  red  in  the  face,  less  heavy  in  the  cheeks, 
shrunk  a  trifle  in  his  calves,  and  bound  about  the 
loins  with  a  somewhat  narrower  girdle — growing  to 
look,  in  form,  just  the  least  bit  in  the  world  like  a 
palm  tree.  In  fact,  owing  to  the  greater  dryness  of 
the  climate,  the  comparative  toughness  of  tropical 
roast  beef,  and  the  diminished  convenience  of  the 
ale  tap,  he  has  suffered,  in  most  instances,  consider 
able  waste  in  his  adipose  cellular  tissue  ;  and  his 
muscle  has  grown  less  juicy.  For  the  greater  part 
of  the  year,  also,  he  wears  linen  instead  of  his  natu 
ral  woollen  ;  and  puts,  moreover,  so  much  starch  into 
it,  that  his  nightcap  is  sometimes  almost  as  able  to 
stand  alone,  when  he  goes  to  bed,  as  he  is  ;  while  his 
sleeping-robe  is  liable  to  stalk  about  his  chamber  like 
a  ghost,  whenever  the  wind  blows.  The  pith  hat, 
the  Panama,  or  a  straw  wound  about  with  fine  linen, 
makes  here  a  partial  disguise  for  an  Englishman ;  as 
do  also  the  morning  jacket  of  white  flannel,  and 
shoes  of  white  duck.  The  most  careless  observer, 
however,  when  seeing  him  going  the  round  of  fash 
ionable  calls  in  the  tropical  midday,  dressed  in  black 
tail-coat  and  stovepipe,  cannot  fail  of  recognizing  the 
original  John  Bull.  Besides,  he  wears  his  gaiters, 
and  leg-of-mutton  whiskers. 

Moreover,  let  the  Bahama  Englishman  dress  or 
look  as  he  may,  he  always  regards  the  mother  coun- 
14* 


322  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

try — not  the  colony  wherein  he  lives — as  his  home. 
Although  well  enough  pleased,  it  may  be,  with  this 
American  side  of  the  world,  he  nevertheless  is  seized 
every  few  years  with  a  longing  to  revisit  the  other 
and  better  one.  He  must  needs  recruit  his  health, 
impaired  by  the  excess  of  sunshine  which  nature 
never  intended  he  should  be  exposed  to  ;  and  goes 
back  to  the  English  climate,  as  to  the  Avet  sheet 
and  vapor  bath  of  the  water  cure.  Particularly,  if  a 
North  Briton,  there  is  a  sort  of  necessity  in  his  con 
stitution  that  he  should  be  wrell  drenched  once  every 
five  or  seven  years  in  his  native  fogs ;  nothing  suffi 
cing  so  effectually  as  this  to  dilute  his  over-thick 
blood,  and  fill  his  shrivelled  skin  again.  Thus  the 
visit  to  the  mother  country,  being  the  crowning  joy 
of  the  colonist's  life — and,  in  fact,  the  most  fondly 
cherished  hope  of  his  heart  being,  one  day,  to  take 
fortune  and  family  back  to  the  circle  of  well-remem 
bered  friends  left  behind  in  the  imperial  isle — he  is 
no  true  West  Indian.  He  cannot  be  said  so  much  to 
be  transported  into  the  soil  of  these  Bahamas,  as  to 
be  temporarily  set  out  in  a  pot  of  it ;  so  that,  at  any 
convenient  moment,  he  can  easily  be  removed,  and 
take  all  his  roots  writh  him.  Hence,  his  colonial  in 
terest  is  almost  entirely  personal  or  official.  All  his 
public  spirit,  his  patriotism,  his  national  pride,  centre 
in  Old  England.  He  has  no  colonial  literature,  but 


NASSAU— A    WINTER  NEWPORT.  323 

reads  the  London  Times.  Living  on  an  islet  of 
coral  and  limestone,  in  the  midst  of  the  democratic 
waters  of  the  American  ocean,  he  still  maintains  the 
spirit  and  the  forms  of  monarchy,  and  goes  almost 
as  gladly  to  court  in  Government  House  as  ever  he 
did  to  St.  James's.  The  old  established  institutions 
of  neither  church  nor  state  are  much  modified  to  suit 
his  colonial  condition  ;  but,  bringing  with  him  even 
to  the  New  World  his  ancient  true  church,  he  loves, 
on  Sundays,  to  wait  for  two  long  hours  in  a  pew, 
though  the  mercury  stand  at  ninety,  while  the  hier- 
arch,  with  three  colors  to  his  back,  prays  for  sinners, 
and  "  all  the  nobility." 

Not  all  the  oranges  and  watermelons  of  the  trop 
ics  can  alter  the  Briton's  native-born  taste  for  old 
port,  sherry,  and  malt  liquors.  Tie  imports  roast 
beef  in  tin  from  the  mother  country,  rather  than 
order  fresh  meat  in  ice  from  Xew  York ;  and  buys 
an  English  plum  pudding  hermetically  sealed,  sooner 
than  cat  one  made  in  the  colony.  Having  attached 
to  his  house  a  flower  garden,  fruit  orchard,  poultry 
yard,  and  sometimes  a  bit  of  a  lawn,  he  surrounds 
all  with  a  high  stone  wall,  as  beyond  sea,  and  bottles 
it.  Piazzas  he  must  have  to  shelter  him  from  the 
sun,  as  also  green  goggles  to  his  eyes,  and,  over  his 
head,  a  blue  umbrella ;  but  he  does  not  need  chim 
neys  in  his  dwelling  house,  and  has  left  all  his  coals 


324  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

behind  in  Newcastle.  A  steady  though  small  fire, 
however,  he  keeps  up  in  his  kitchen ;  for  the  old 
English  virtue  of  hospitality  still  lives  and  thrives 
in  the  Bahamas,  where  the  well-accredited  stranger 
finds  open  doors  and  groaning  tables,  being  wellnigh 
as  welcome  as  he  would  formerly  have  been  to  Rob 
inson  Crusoe.  Indeed,  the  favored  guest  might  al 
most  be  tempted  to  think  that,  although  the  checks 
of  the  Nassauese  Englishman  grow  less  and  less  to 
resemble  shaddocks  the  more  he  eats  them,  yet  his 
generous,  sympathetic  disposition  does  gradually 
secrete  some  additional  sweetness  from  the  tropical 
oranges  and  sapodillas.  I  myself  have  met  persons 
here  whose  hearts  ran  over  with  sugary  juices  pre 
cisely  like  their  mangoes.  Even  my  shoemaker  sent 
me  a  present  of  shaddocks,  and  my  shopkeeper  over 
whelmed  me  with  sweet  oranges  and  grape  fruit. 

This  New  Providence,  chief  island  of  the  Baha 
mas,  and  of  which  the  town  of  Nassau  is  the  capi 
tal,  is  only  a  small  paradise,  in  extent  some  seven 
miles  by  twenty.  On  the  side  of  the  capital  it  has  a 
horizon  of  islands  and  cays — Rose  islands  and  Silver 
cayS — with  white-topped  breakers  rolling,  in  rough 
weather,  between.  Within,  the  harbor  is  as  green  as 
an  emerald  on  a  lady's  finger  ;  while  the  sea  beyond, 
blue  as  lapis  lazuli,  and  sprinkled  with  bright  yellow 
gulf  weeds  floating  on  its  surface,  may  bring  to 


NASSAU— A    WINTER  NEWPORT.  320 

mind,  perchance,  the  beautiful  mantle  of  blue  and 
gold  which  Carlo  Dolce  has  thrown  over  the  shoul 
ders  of  his  La  Poesia. 

Though  a  mere  calcareous  rock,  composed  of 
corals,  shells,  madrepores,  and  various  deposits,  and 
almost  entirely  destitute  of  soil,  the  island  is  never 
theless  either  tufted  with  palms,  orange,  and  other 
fruit  trees,  or  overgrown  with  tangled  brushwood. 
Nearly  everything  grows  directly  out  of  the  rock, 
wcllnigh  as  great  a  miracle  as  when,  in  sacred  times, 
water  was  drawn  from  it  by  the  rod  of  Moses.  But 
it  takes  a  stone  mason  to  set  out  a  tree  here  ;  and  it 
will  grow  all  the  better  for  the  help  of  sponges  and 
sawdust ;  while  the  farmer  may 

"  Lay  down  the  shovel  and  the  hoc," 

using,  instead,  crowbar,  saw,  and  pickaxe.  Still,  the 
rock  being  highly  porous  as  well  as  soft,  the  roots 
of  trees  run  freely  in  all  directions  below  the  sur 
face,  and  derive  sufficient  moisture  from  the  reser 
voir  of  rain  water,  which,  at  the  depth  of  a  few 
feet,  rests  upon  the  salt  water  from  the  sea,  rising 
and  falling  with  the  latter's  daily  tides.  Every  foot 
of  the  island  is  covered  with  verdure ;  so  great  is 
the  vegetative  power  of  nature  in  the  tropics,  spite 
of  the  lack  of  mould.  The  silk-cotton  tree  throws 
out  its  flat  buttresses  wide  enough  for  the  stabling 


326  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

of  horses,  and  spreads  its  branches  over  an  area  one 
or  two  hundred  feet  in  diameter.  The  cocoa  palms 
and  the  Australian  pines  overtop  the  town.  Many 
even  of  the  larger  trees  bear  flowers ;  while  tall 
shrubs  of  various  tropical  varieties — oleanders,  white, 
red,  and  pink,  the  yellow  elder,  the  scarlet  hibiscus, 
the  white  and  golden  jessamines,  the  coral  flower, 
the  plumerias  and  popinacs — projecting  over  the 
walls  and  peeping  out  of  all  the  gardens,  dash  with 
bright  colors  the  general  green  of  the  landscape. 
The  air  plant  groAVS  luxuriantly  out  of  the  rock ;  and 
the  night-blooming  cereus  likes  to  climb  a  fence  or 
gateway,  on  which  it  can  get  plenty  of  air  and  light, 
and  see  the  world  go  by.  It  also  runs  up  the  trunks 
of  tall  trees,  mingling  its  thick,  fleshy  leaves  Avitli 
the  green  foliage ;  and  even  scaling  the  sides  of 
houses,  it  mounts  to  the  chimney  top,  lifting  its  head 
above  it  as  exultingly  as,  in  continental  Europe,  does 
the  rnerry,  singing  SaA'oyard.  The  sandy  shores  are 
fringed  eAren  to  the  Avater's  edge  AArith  acacias,  hops, 
and  sea  grapes.  The  moonlight  floAver,  open  at 
night,  ansAvers  with  its  pure  white  to  the  silver  light 
from  the  skies  ;  and  the  morning  glory  is  too  happy 
to  Avish  to  fold  itself  in  sleep  before  eA^ening.  Na 
ture  even  preys  upon  herself,  from  excess  of  vigor ; 
the  wild  fig  strangling  in  its  embrace  the  tamarind 
and  almond  trees ;  and  the  bindAveed  and  the  love 


NASSAU—  A    WINTER  NEWPORT.  327 

vine  hanging  upon  the  highest  branches  of  the 
groves  their  heavy  drapery  of  leaves  and  innumer 
able  filaments. 

But  the  great  charm  of  the  island  consists  in  its 
climate — so  mild  and  soft,  the  expression  in  the  face 
of  your  pet  kid  is  not  more  so.  During  the  season 
of  winter,  the  ordinary  range  of  the  thermometer  is 
between  seventy  and  eighty  degrees  of  Fahrenheit ; 
the  mercury  going  higher  only  occasionally,  when 
the  relaxing  south  wind  blows,  and  not  falling  lower 
except  during  the  prevalence  of  the  bracing  north 
ers.  The  atmosphere  is  almost  purely  that  of  the 
ocean — soft,  balmy,  and  having  the  fragrance  of  salt 
water  in  it.  It  is,  in  fact,  the  air  of  a  ship's  deck  on 
a  fine  summer  morning  in  the  middle  latitudes.  The 
evenings,  unlike  those  of  Havana,  are  often  moist 
with  dew  ;  though  the  stars  shine  with  all  the  bril 
liancy  of  the  winter  night  at  the  North,  and  the 
moonlight  is  very  much  brighter.  Indeed,  the  silver 
crescent,  when  only  two  days  old,  brings  out  the 
shadows  ;  while  the  full  moon  makes  the  limestone 
streets  look  as  white  as  if  covered  with  newly  fallen 
snow.  Day  after  day  the  wrind  blows  here  only  a 
pleasant  summer  breeze,  its  pace  not  exceeding  half 
a  dozen  miles  the  hour  ;  though  when,  once  or  twice 
a  month,  the  norther  comes,  he  presses  on  at  the  rate 
of  some  twenty  pounds  to  the  square  foot,  making 


328  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

all  things  rattle ;  so  that,  for  three  nights  in  succes 
sion,  no  man  can  sleep  without  "  spools"  in  his  win 
dow  shutters.  Still,  the  north  wind,  in  its  passage 
over  the  gulf  stream,  loses  much  of  the  coldness 
which  it  possesses  when,  coming  across  the  State  of 
Florida,  it  reaches  Havana.  It  is  considered  by  the 
natives  a  good  tonic — though  rather  an  overdose,  I 
thought. 

Bright  days,  bright  nights — they  are  together 
like  diamonds  strung  with  pearls.  And  the  tropical 
fruits  and  flowers  correspond  with  the  brilliancy  of 
the  climate.  The  town  is  full  of  gardens,  wherein 
the  palm  waves  and  the  oleander  blooms,  and  the 
orange  hangs  out  its  globes  of  gold,  half  hid  among 
bridal  blossoms.  The  sapodillas  and  the  mangoes  on 
the  trees  are,  like  the  sands  on  the  seashore,  innumer 
able.  The  shaddocks  grow  to  great  size — as  large  as 
the  heads  of  small  black  boys  ;  and  I  have  made  the 
discovery  that,  if  a  man  will  eat  a  luncheon  when  he 
does  not  need  any,  there  is  nothing  so  good  for  him 
as  grape  fruit.  Slightly  acid,  it  rather  creates  an 
appetite  than  cloys  one ;  and  the  stomach,  after  it, 
experiences  a  sense  of  gratification  as  after  a  glass  of 
good  Hock  or  Rudesheimer.  Only  beware  of  the 
rind  ;  for  the  bitter  and  the  sweet  lie  as  near  to  each 
other  in  a  grape  fruit  as  they  do  in  human  life. 

One  goes  to  the  tropics,  of  course,  to  live  in  the 


NASSAU— A    WINTER  NEWPORT.  329 

open  air,  not  to  be  comfortable  in  lodgings.  So,  at 
Nassau,  I  found  but  indifferent  quarters,  with  only 
the  promise  of  better  ones  in  the  future — a  promise 
since  happily  realized.  Yet  my  attic  was  an  ample 
one  ;  and  of  this  I  am  quite  sure,  never  was  there  so 
happy  an  attic  before.  We  habitually  sat  with  open 
doors  and  windows.  And  these  looked  to  the  four 
quarters  of  the  globe ;  showing  us,  on  one  side,  all 
the  glories  of  the  Government  House,  together  with 
the  statue  of  Columbus,  painted  white,  and  repre 
senting  the  great  discoverer  of  these  islands  in  the 
form  and  attitude  of  a  dashing  hidalgo.  On  another 
side,  the  view  began  with  one  of  the  numerous  poul 
try  yards,  which  fill  this  quiet  little  town  with  more 
crowing  and  cackling,  gabbling  and  gobbling,  than 
is  to  be  met  with  in  any  other  place  in  Christendom, 
I  believe,  not  Spanish.  It  is  a  peculiarity  of  the 
Nassauese  cocks,  that  they  crow  not  only  at  day 
break,  but  through  all  the  hours  of  the  night.  From 
sundown  to  the  return  of  day  it  is  a  perpetual  crow 
ing,  crowing,  crowing.  The  instant  any  one  of 
these  feathery  watchmen  winds  his  clarion,  he  is 
answered  by  all  his  fellows  throughout  the  town  in 
chorus.  The  youngest  chick  will  not  be  silent ;  nor 
can  Bantam  suffer  himself  to  be  outdone  by  the 
hoarsest  and  most  guttural  Cochin-China,  or  him  of 
Shanghai.  For  what  earthly  purpose  are  so  many 


830  TO   DIXIE  AND    THE   TROPICS. 

cocks  kept  here  ?  grumblingly  asks  the  stranger, 
who,  the  first  night  after  his  arrival,  tries  in  vain  to 
sleep  in  such  a  rookery ;  or  who,  dozing  in  the  small 
hours,  facetiously  dreams  that  the  moral  little  town 
is  full  of  secret  cockpits,  wherein,  on  Sundays,  the 
good  people  clandestinely  fight  their  birds  between 
the  religious  services. 

On  still  another  side,  our  windows  look  toward 
the  west,  over  orchards  of  bananas,  oranges,  and 
lemons,  over  gardens  of  climbing  roses,  jessamines, 
and  oleanders,  over  pines  and  royal  palms,  toward 
the  bright  green  harbor  and  the  sea. 

But  the  eastern  window  pleased  me  most  of  all, 
because  from  that  I  saw  the  sunrise.  And  knoAV 
that  this  is  a  climate  which  forces,  at  least,  all  the 
lovers  of  nature  out  of  bed  before  sunrise,  simply 
by  means  of  the  beauty  of  the  mornings,  which, 
even  in  winter,  open  precisely  like  our  Northern 
June  roses.  At  this  early  hour  I  go  to  the  shore  for 
my  bath ;  plunging  into  the  pure,  transparent  water 
just  at  the  moment  when  the  sunrise  is  scattering  its 
rose  leaves  over  the  surface.  The  deep  sea  water  is 
like  molten  glass — for  the  moment  turned  Bohemian. 
Then,  during  the  space  of  five  blissful  minutes,  how 
lustily  do  I  pull  the  old  god  Neptune  by  the  beard  ; 
or  more  gently  play  with  the  tangles  of  some 
Naiad's  hair  !  And  all  these  marine  divinities  could 


NASSAU—  A    WINTER  NEWPORT.  331 

testify  that  most  gladly  would  I  swim  in  the  tepid 
waves  from  one  Bahama  to  another — but  for  the 
sharks !  These  monsters  give  me  pause.  For,  dur 
ing  my  stay  at  Nassau,  one  of  them  swallowed  his 
Jonah — a  black  man — and  was  found,  after  capture, 
to  have  digested  the  whole  of  him,  excepting  one 
hand,  and  his  rum  bottle.  Dreadful ! 

However,  the  bathing  houses  offer  their  protec 
tion  to  the  timid,  or  the  more  cautious  ;  and  on  com 
ing  out  of  them,  even,  one  feels  regenerate,  and  as 
newborn  as  the  day. 

The  winter  midday,  as  well  as  the  morning,  is 
very  fine  here.  The  prevailing  wind,  at  that  time  of 
day,  is  the  trade,  blowing  pleasantly  from  the  east ; 
and  such  a  breeze  as  in  our  sunniest  May  days  at  the 
North  gently  tosses  the  flowering  tops  of  the  apple 
orchards ;  or,  in  full-blown  June,  trips  it  lightly 
through  the  rose  gardens  ;  which  makes  the  fragrant 
clover  heads  dance  and  nod  to  each  other  in  the 
fields  ;  and  covers  the  growing  meadows  with  rip 
pling,  grassy  waves.  At  the  noontide  there  is  often 
not  a  cloud  in  the  heavens,  excepting  the  white  can 
vas  of  ships'  sails  on  the  horizon,  or  in  the  harbor. 
The  tropical  sunlight  gilds  with  leaf  of  gold  the 
limestone  streets,  or  paves  them  with  the  dark 
shadows  of  trees  and  houses.  In  the  brilliant  rays 
the  facades  of  white  marble  buildings  shine  like  bur- 


332  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

nished  silver.  And  yet,  though  strongly  marked  the 
contrast  between  the  lights  and  shadows  of  the 
town,  how  soft  are  the  gradations  of  color  where  the 
verdant  shore  blends  with  the  sea-green  of  the  sur 
rounding  waves,  and  where  the  indigo-blue  of  the 
distant  ocean  passes  without  any  distinct  line  of  sepa 
ration  into  the  blue  of  the  empyrean. 

At  this  idle  hour  of  the  day  I  liked,  sitting  at  the 
western  window  of  my  chamber,  to  look  out  upon  a 
palm  tree  standing  near  by,  which  I  selected  from  all 
other  palms  I  had  ever  seen  for  my  favorite.  It  is  of 
the  cocoanut  variety,  tall,  and  leaning  gracefully — 
such  an  one  as  the  wild  Arab  loves  to  call  his  bride. 
The  tree  seems  almost  a  living  form,  animate  with 
sense  and  feeling,  and  to  stand  there,  its  branches 
waving,  and  its  leaves  quivering  in  an  ecstasy  of 
delight.  It  appears  to  be  enamored  of  the  sun, 
toward  which  it  aspires.  It  basks  in  the  unclouded 
rays,  like  the  black  man  lying  asleep  at  its  foot ;  and, 
like  him,  joyfully  absorbs  the  midday  heat.  And  as 
the  sea  breeze  comes  and  goes,  now  lifting  the 
branches  gently  aloft,  and  now  letting  them  grace 
fully  droop  again,  Avith  what  an  expression  of  glad 
ness  the  palmtop  receives  these  soft  caresses,  toying 
and  gambolling  with  the  wind  !  The  branches  seem 
also  at  play  with  each  other ;  harmoniously  swaying 
to  and  fro,  the  topmost  bending  slightly,  and  the 


NASSAU— A    WINTER  NEWPORT.  333 

lower  ones  swinging  themselves  through  wider 
curves,  and  with  a  more  deeply  impassioned  motion. 
Surely,  with  such  grace  does  a  Venus  move  her  limbs 
when  si ic  comes  newborn  out  of  the  foamy  waves  ; 
and  so  dance  upon  the  stage  the  lithesome  Spanish 
girls  of  Grenada,  and  the  gypsies  of  Seville. 

But  the  cuisine !  Upon  what  food  does  a  man 
live  in  such  a  clime,  and  on  such  an  enchanted 
island  ?  Does  he,  like  the  first  of  men  and  women, 
subsist  on  the  fair  fruits — on  mere  orange  juices — on 
the  perfume  of  his  finger  glass,  scented,  one  day, 
with  the  green  leaf  of  a  lime,  and,  the  next,  with 
one  of  a  pimento  ?  iSfot  quite  so.  But,  to  tell  the 
truth,  though  the  mutton  will  do  for  food,  the  beef 
is  not  succulent.  It  is,  in  fact,  a  little  tough,  and 
requires,  in  order  to  be  masticated,  to  have  been 
previously  well  papawed.  "  For  the  juice  of  the 
papaw,"  says  Soyer,  "  makes  meat  tender,  by-  causing 
a  separation  of  its  muscular  fibres."  Some  of  the 
more  elderly  chickens,  also,  will  test  the  sharpness  of 
the  carving  knife,  as  well  as  the  power  of  a  man's 
jaws,  unless  a  pretty  stiff  dose  of  vinegar  be  poured 
down  their  throats  just  before  their  heads  are  cut  off. 
Poor  things  !  this  must  be  the  first ;  and  the  axe,  the 
second  death  to  them  ! 

Accordingly,  the  stranger  will  find  himself  under 
the  necessity  of  eating  turtle  twice  a  week  here. 


334  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE   TROPICS. 

He  can  have  turtle  soup,  turtle  stewed ;  but  the 
great  dish  of  the  island,  and  chief  glory  of  the 
"  conch  "  kitchen,  is  baked  turtle.  A  small  monster 
of  about  twenty-five  pounds'  weight  is  a  good  size  ; 
unless,  indeed,  you  happen  to  be  an  alderman,  in 
which  case  forty  pounds  would  not  be  too  much. 
He  is  brought  to  table  in  his  own  shell,  which  stands 
well  up  before  you,  and  makes  an  ample  platter.  In 
its  depths  lie  imbedded  all  the  choice  pieces.  The 
fat  and  lean  bits  lie  side  by  side  ;  the  eggs  hug  the 
liver  ;  while  the  whole  mass  is  moist  with  a  delicious 
gravy,  made  of  the  juice  of  the  animal,  and  hot  with 
infinitesimal  red  peppers,  each  particle  of  which  is 
endowed  with  a  sting  like  that  of  the  honey  bee. 
An  open  space  in  the  middle  of  the  crust — for  this 
great  mystery  of  culinary  art  has  a  broad  covering 
of  paste  around  its  entire  edge — an  open  space,  I 
say,  in  the  crust,  like  heaven's  gate  standing  ajar, 
enables  you  to  get  a  peep  at  the  feast  of  good  things 
within,  the  moment  it  is  set  before'  you.  Far  off, 
too,  the  nostril  anticipates  the  coming  of  baked  tur 
tle  ;  for  the  whole  atmosphere  of  the  place  is  at  once 
perfumed  with  the  subtle  essence  and  aroma  of  the 
dish ;  the  very  winds  of  heaven  struggling  to  bear 
some  of  it  off  to  their  own  caves. 

After  baked  turtle,  no   Christian  wishes  to  eat 
pudding.     But  if  compelled  to  dine  on  a  Nassauese 


NASSAU— A    WINTER  NEWPORT.  335 

beefsteak,  one  is  certainly  entitled  to  nothing  less 
than  either  cocoanut  pudding  or  banana  fritters  ;  and 
if  he  do  not  get  the  one  or  the  other,  he  should  con 
sider  himself  robbed  by  his  landlady. 

In  any  event,  you  will  drink  a  glass  of  uncom 
monly  nice  sherry  with  your  turtle ;  for  it  is  well 
known  that  this  animal  cannot  crawl  nor  stir  a  fin  in 
good  sherry.  I  should  have  some  hesitation,  how 
ever,  in  recommending  any  one  to  adopt  the  local 
fashion  of  letting  ruin  punch  follow  the  soup.  Bat 
no  one  should  fall  into  the  mistake  of  refusing, 
whether  after  turtle  or  anything  else,  the  proffered 
glass  of  Madeira,  known  as  the  "  Water  Lily  " — a 
wrecked  wine,  and  named  after  the  very  unfortunate 
vessel  in  which  it  was  cast  aAvay  on  these  shores. 
The  delicious  sack  had  been  sent  to  the  West  Indies 
for  its  health  ;  and  some  of  the  casks  bore,  as  I  have 
been  told,  the  names  of  venerable  and  right  rev 
erend  English  prelates,  men  'supposed  to  know  how 
to  select  good  liquor.  Alas  for  them  !  The  only 
dash  of  bitter  in  the  glass,  whenever  it  was  my 
good  fortune  to  taste  this  juice  of  the  grape,  was  the 
regret — impossible  to  repress  it — that  such  good  men 
should  providentially  have  been  cut  off  from  the 
privilege  of  anointing  their  palates  with  so  precious 
an  oil  of  joy.  For  the  wine  is  excellent,  and  must 
have  received  all  the  benefit  from  being  sent  to  sea 


336  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

which  its  intelligent  owners  had  anticipated  for  it. 
Well  may  the  Nassauese,  in  describing  this  beverage, 
so  fortunately  rescued  from  the  waves,  speak  of  it 
with  brightening  face  and  uplifted  eyelids,  as  more 
rainlike  than  rain  water,  more  dry  than  the  tropic 
Cancer,  and  yet  more  luscious  than  the  grapes  of 
Malaga  or  Muscat — the  very  aroma  of  aromas. 

So  you  see  this  Bahama  is  what  the  Chinese 
would  call  a  "  little  heaven."  But  you  must  know 
that  three  quarters  of  the  saints  are  blacks.  Seated 
on  my  piazza,  morning  and  evening,  when  they  go 
by  on  their  way  to  and  from  the  market,  I  have  seen 
t\ie  street  darkened  with  the  number  of  them,  and 
the  tropical  day  almost  put  out  as  by  an  eclipse. 
They  go  by,  many  of  them  with  tattooed,  gashed 
faces,  horizontal  nostrils,  and  hair  braided  into  rams' 
horns  and  corkscrews  ;  nearly  all  possessing  healthy, 
athletic  forms,  though  not  very  heavily  covered  with 
muscle ;  all  with  the  same  loose,  shuffling  gait,  as  if 
their  bodies  were  jelly,  and  going  to  pieces ;  with 
speech  often  resembling  a  kind  of  articulate  grunt 
ing,  and  even  their  best  English  sounding  a  little  like 
Congo.  Up  to  the  age  of  puberty  the  children  are 
remarkably  thin-limbed ;  and  many  of  the  smaller 
ones,  having  no  other  garment  than  a  shirt,  look  like 
a  large  species  of  grasshoppers,  and  very  much  as 
did  the  children  of  Israel  in  the  presence  of  the 


NASSAU— A   WINTER   NEWPORT.  337 

giants,  the  sons  of  Anak,  who  came  of  the  giants. 
But,  with  the  exception  of  one  noted  old  beggar  in 
sackcloth,  these  blacks  dress  as  decently  as  do  the 
lower  class  of  whites  in  hot  countries.  Their  gar 
ments  are  not  often  washed,  nor  always  taken  off  at 
night ;  and  most  of  the  women  have  the  habit  of 
wearing  their  dresses  very  carelessly  put  on.  Though 
many  of  the  females  cover  their  heads  with  turbans, 
and  a  hat  besides,  they  are  inclined  to  go  barefoot,  in 
spite  of  the  "jiggers  ;"  and  hence  the  old  song,  . 

"  Jiggery  foot,  jump  in  the  air — 
A  bottle  of  wine,  and  a  bottle  of  beer,"  etc. 

But,  on  Sunday,  every  negro  who  goes  to  church 
comes  fresh  out  of  his  bandbox ;  and  he  who, 
through  the  week,  had  worn  a  palmetto  hat,  price 
two  cents  and  a  half,  will  don  a  beaver,  or  a  sky-blue 
cotton ;  and  he  who  had  worn  nothing  but  a  ker 
chief,  will  carefully  protect  his  head  from  the  sun 
under  a  family  umbrella.  Perhaps  it  is  natural  that 
the  head  should  receive  special  attention,  when  it 
bears  all  the  burdens  ;  for  there  is  nothing,  from  an 
empty  barrel  to  a  bottle  of  champagne,  which  is  not 
so  carried.  I  have  seen  a  letter  taken  to  the  post  on 
the  head,  with  a  small  stone  laid  above  it  to  keep  it 
from  blowing  away ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  I  have 
beheld  negroes  coming  into  town  surmounted  with  as 
15 


338  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

heavy  a  load  of  green  corn  blades  as  may  be  seen 
enveloping  to  their  feet  the  Cuban  donkeys  which 
bring  fodder  into  Havana.  Everything  goes  natu 
rally  with  them  to  the  occiput ;  and  there,  too,  not 
on  the  back  of  her  head,  does  the  ebony  belle,  on 
Sundays,  stick  the  gay  little  bonnet  of  present 
fashion. 

The  Bahama  blacks  are  generally  well  behaved 
and  good  natured.  Their  disposition  is  mild,  passive, 
.tractable ;  and,  though  often  crossed  with  the  Eng 
lish,  they  appear  not  to  have  a  single  hair  of  the 
bulldog  on  them.  They  rarely  fight  with  each  other, 
except  in  words  ;  are  not  fond  of  fisticuffs,  nor  given 
to  sedition ;  but,  most  of  the  time,  have  their  mouths 
full  of  chat,  laughter,  and  sugar  cane.  When  meet 
ing  in  the  street  or  highway,  they  often  converse 
together  without  stopping — both  continuing  on  their 
way,  while  they  exchange  their  jest  and  laugh,  and 
neither  turning  their  head.  The  commission  of  hein 
ous  crimes— the  deed  of  blood  and  daring — does  not 
comport  with  a  character  so  soft  and  timid ;  but  for 
petty  theft,  and  all  manner  of  lying,  they  have  an 
extraordinary  aptitude.  Too  many  of  them,  I  am 
sorry  to  say,  are  untrustworthy  and  unreliable.  Ca 
pable,  often,  of  strong  personal  attachments  to  the 
whites,  when  they  have  been  long  in  their  service, 
they  are  nevertheless,  with  exceptions,  ungrateful, 


NASSAU— A   WINTER  NEWPORT.  339 

and  forgetful  of  benefits.  They  pay  comparatively 
little  attention  to  the  minor  morals,  and  not  too  much 
to  the  major.  Especially  is  the  relation  of  the  sexes 
badly  regulated  among  them. 

Yet  this  much  can  be  said  in  their  favor,  that 
their  faults  of  character  and  'conduct  do  not  spring 
from  malice  or  un charitableness,  but  rather  from 
their  heedless,  thoughtless  disposition,  their  natural 
indolence,  and  their  habits  of  present  self-gratifica 
tion.  Fond  of  the  good  things  of  life,  they  take 
scarcely  more  thought  for  the  morrow  than  many  of 
the  brutes.  So,  in  their  speech,  they  never  make  use 
of  the  past  or  future  tenses  of  verbs,  but  only  of  the 
present.  Most  of  them  are  capable,  if  not  of  wear 
ing  all  they  possess  on  their  backs,  at  least,  of  letting 
it  all  go  down  their  throats  at  a  single  feast,  and 
never  think  it  any  sin  to  run  in  debt  to  whoever  may 
be  imprudent  enough  to  trust  them. 

Of  all  things,  they  do  not  like  steady,  hard  wc*:k ; 
and  are  not  to  be  depended  upon,  therefore,  for  the 
carrying  out  of  any  large  plan  of  active  industry,  or 
for  securing  a  certain  return  of  interest  on  any  great 
investment  of  capital.  They  prefer  odd  jobs,  as 
labor  about  the  streets  and  wharves,  or,  situations  of 
easy  service,  or  to  catch  fish,  or  to  go  on  short  trips 
in  the  wrecking  vessels.  Generally,  when  they  get  a 
few  shillings  together  in  their  pockets,  they  lose  all 


340  T0  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

appetite  for  further  toil  until  they  have  spent  them. 
All  their  salvage  money  goes  to  the  shopkeepers  to 
pay  old  debts.  Of  the  savings  bank  they  make  little 
use,  but  rely  rather  on  their  fishing  banks,  which  fur 
nish  the  greater  part  of  their  sustenance. 

In  general,  it  may  be  said  of  the  Bahamian 
blacks,  that  they  are  as  much  inferior  to  their  breth 
ren  in  the  "  States,"  both  morally  and  intellectually, 
as  the  climate  of  the  tropics  is  hotter,  and  the  fruit- 
fulness  of  nature  therein  is  more  spontaneous  than  in 
our  own.  Although  they  have  now  been  free  for  a 
quarter  of  a  century,  and,  during  this  period,  have 
enjoyed  the  superior  advantages  of  English  tuition 
and  example,  yet  their  improvement,  whether  intel 
lectual,  moral,  or  physical,  has  not  been  very  great. 
I  should  say  that,  if  the  amount  of  white  blood 
which  has  passed  into  their  veins  could  be  estimated, 
it  would  be  found  to  be  a  tolerably  exact  measure  of 
their  progress.  This,  to  be  sure,  is  something ;  for 
the  English  have  done  considerable  toward  whitening 
the  skin  of  the  black  population,  and  have  straight 
ened  a  good  many  heads  of  hair — with  the  help  of 
pomatum. 

The  native  Africans  who,  a  few  years  since,  were 
transferred  to  the  island  from  slave  ships  captured  at 
sea,  are  more  industrious,  and,  perhaps,  superior  in 
morals,  if  inferior  intellectually,  to  the  Creole  blacks 


NASSAU— A  WINTER  NEWPORT.  341 

formerly  held  in  bondage.  It  is  true  that  the  chil 
dren  of  the  latter  have  acquired,  in  free  schools,  the 
rudiments  of  an  English  education,  and  that  a  few 
of  them  display,  upon  examination,  as  much  clever 
ness  as  the  young  whites.  Still  it  must  be  observed, 
that  it  is  the  faculty  of  memory,  chiefly,  which  is  de 
veloped  by  this  early  training,  and  that,  the  age 
of  puberty  once  passed,  the  Africo-Bahaman  mind 
appears  to  make  but  comparatively  little  further 
progress. 

Of  the  purely  abstract  ideas,  these  tropical  Afri 
cans,  almost  without  exception,  seem  to  have  but  an 
imperfect  and  dim  apprehension.  Even  so  simple  an 
one  as  that  of  time  they  do  not  appear  to  conceive 
of  with  any  considerable  degree  of  clearness.  When 
asked  in  what  month  of  the  year  the  different  fruits 
of  the  island  are  in  season,  they  can  rarely  give  a 
precise  answer ;  and  I  was  informed  by  the  son  of 
an  aged  black  woman,  when  I  inquired  the  number 
of  her  years,  that  it  was  one  hundred  and  sixty.  A 
straight  line,  also,  bothers  them.  I  was  told  of  a 
black  gardener  here,  who  could  not  be  taught  accu 
rately  to  lay  out  his  paths  and  spaces  at  right  angles. 

"  This  corner  of  the  house  is  nearly  a  foot  too 
high,"  once  said  a  Nassauese  gentleman  to  the  mason 
who  was  erecting  its  walls. 

"  Oh  !  yas,"  was  the  reply  ;  "  dat  niassa  say  bery 
true  ;  but  folks  isn't  goin'  to  notice  it." 


342  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

"And  the  doors  and  windows,"    continued   the 
proprietor,  "  are  not  quite  opposite  to  each  other." 
"  Well,  yas — if  massa  will  be  so  bery  partic'ler." 
In  this  difficulty  of  mastering  a  straight  line,  by 
the  way,  the  inferiority  of  the  negro  to  the  lowest 
class  of  Irishmen  is  noticeable.     For  if  you  ask  Pat 
rick,  in  the  tropics  or  out  of  them,  what  he  consid 
ers  to  be  the  prettiest  thing  in  the  world,  he  will  in 
variably  make  answer : 

"  An'  shure,  yer  honor,  'tis  a  straight  ditch  !  " 
But  the  Bahama  blacks  are  a  healthy,  prolific  race. 
Out  of  four  persons  you  meet  in  the  streets  of  Nas 
sau,  three,  at  least,  are  blacks,  or  mulattoes.  In 
church,  one  sits  quite  surrounded  by  his  colored 
brethren  and  sisters ;  the  whole  congregation  pre 
senting  a  pepper-and-salt  aspect.  So,  in  places  of 
both  public  and  private  entertainment,  the  imperti 
nent  question  will  often  spring  up  in  the  mind  of  the 
stranger — like  the  roguish  head  of  a  truant  child 
thrust  through  a  half-open  door — "  Has  not  this  esti 
mable  gentleman  with  whom  I  am  so  pleasantly  con 
versing,  or  this  most  amiable  lady,  the  line  down  the 
back  slightly  discolored  ?  " 

In  the  polite  circles  of  society  in  the  Bahamas 
there  is  a  prejudice  against  the  black  or  mixed  color 
still  prevailing,  which  surprises  one,  considering  the 
liberal  views  entertained  by  English  philanthropists 


NASSAU— A   WINTER  NEWPORT.  343 

in  the  mother  country  on  this  subject.  But,  in  jus 
tice  to  the  class  of  mulattoes,  I  feel  bound  to  add, 
that  I  met,  at  Nassau,  persons  belonging  to  it  whose 
intelligence,  good  character,  and  polite  manners  made 
them  the  peers  of  white  men,  whether  there  or  in 
any  other  country. 

It  would  be  idle  to  speculate  about  the  future 
destiny  of  the  African  race  in  the  American  tropics*; 
or  to  conjecture  whether,  on  the  one  hand,  it  is 
likely,  after  emancipation,  to  relapse  into  barbarism  ; 
or  whether,  on  the  other,  after  it  shall  have  existed 
as  long  in  these  countries  as  did  the  Saxons  in  the 
woods  of  Germany,  it  may  finally  develop  a  new  and 
original  form  of  civilization.  But  one  may,  at  least, 
divine  enough  of  the  immediate  future  of  the  Baha 
mas,  to  come  to  the  conclusion  that,  in  the  natural 
increase  of  their  black  and  colored  population,  it 
must  soon  crowd  hard  upon  the  whites,  and  gradu 
ally  drive  them  out.  They  will  either  voluntarily 
take  leave,  or  be  sent  away  against  their  will,  as  for 
merly  were  the  French  from  Hayti.  Already  the 
African  element  is  so  strong  in  some  of  the  Bahamas 
— as,  for  example,  in  St.  Salvador,  Bahama,  Andros, 
and  Long  Island — that,  in  spite  of  great  natural  ad 
vantages  of  soil  and  climate,  white  men  begin  to  be 
reluctant  to  cast  their  lot  there.  And  why,  indeed, 
must  not  the  same  become  true,  at  no  very  distant 


344  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

epoch,  of  all  the  West  Indian  islands  ?  For,  while 
the  free  African  thrives  in  these  tropics  like  a 
green  bay  tree,  and  willows  by  the  watercourses,  the 
Anglo-Saxon,  and  even  the  Spaniard,  is  a  sickly 
exotic. 

Time,  unquestionably,  will  show  it  to  be  a  law  of 
nature,  that  in  lands  where  the  white  man  cannot 
sow,  neither  shall  he  reap ;  where  he  cannot  himself 
labor,  he  shall  not  permanently  dwell.  So  long,  of 
course,  as,  by  superior  force  and  intelligence,  he  can 
retain  the  black  men  in  bondage,  or  state  of  depend 
ence,  and  make  them  perform  the  labor  of  sowing 
and  reaping  in  his  stead,  so-  long  he  may  hold  the 
islands  of  the  tropics  ;  but  not  much  longer. 

I  have  before  observed,  that  the  Bahama  blacks 
derive  a  portion  of  their  support  from  the  business 
of  wrecking.  The  number  of  persons  of  all  colors 
so  engaged  is  between  three  and  four  thousand,  and 
that  of  their  vessels  from  two  to  three  hundred. 
They  are  required  by  law  to  save  life  before  prop 
erty;  and  this  they  always  do,  as  I  am  informed. 
The  cargo  to  be  rescued  being  often  more  or  less 
under  water,  it  is  necessary  that  the  sailors  be  also 
good  divers,  able  to  descend  to  the  depth  of  even 
thirty  or  forty  feet,  and  make  bales  of  goods  fast  to 
tackle.  The  salvage  of  a  single  ship  sometimes 
amounts  to  fifty  thousand  dollars,  or  upward,  which 


NASSAU—A   WINTER  NEWPORT.  345 

is  distributed  one  half  to  the  captain  and  owners  of 
the  vessel,  and  the  other  to  the  officers  and  crew. 
Sometimes  a  considerable  portion  of  a  shipwrecked 
cargo  is  saved  dry ;  but  a  great  many  boxes  and 
packages  get  damaged,  not  only  through  fault  of  the 
waves,  but  also  from  being  rudely  opened,  for  the 
purpose  of  enabling  the  wrecker  to  judge  whether 
they  will  yield  a  high  rate  of  salvage.  For  the  cap 
tains  who  arrive  first  at  a  wreck  naturally  desire  to 
load,  each  his  own  vessel,  with  the  most  valuable 
part  of  the  cargo. 

In  such  a  small,  isolated  town  as  Nassau,  a  little 
excitement  goes,  of  course,  a  great  way.  So,  when 
the  fleet  of  returning  wrecking  vessels  is  seen  com 
ing  into  port  with  white  flags  flying,  the  little  place 
is  set  all  agog.  Half  the  population  stand,  for  the 
moment,  on  the  tiptoe  of  expectation  ;  the  shopkeep 
ers'  heads  stiffening  like  bristles,  and  the  negroes' 
wool  half  uncurling  from  excitement. 

"  O  Lord,  massa !  "  said  to  me  one  of  the  latter, 
quite  dancing  with  delight,  and  threatening  to  spit 
out  all  his  ivory,  as  he  pointed  to  the  white  schoon 
ers  ploughing  into  the  bright  green  harbor,  "  O  Lord, 
massa !  dere  cum  de  rackers — full  of  drygood,  silk 
stocking — eberyting !  " 

A  wreck  is  a  misfortune,  of  course,  and  great  dis 
appointment  to  somebody  ;  but  it  makes  a  very  pleas- 
15* 


346  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

ant  holiday  for  the  good  people  of  Nassau.  During 
my  visit,  there  was  a  sale  of  an  assorted  cargo  of 
dry-goods,  too  much  damaged  to  be  forwarded  to  its 
port  of  destination.  And  never  was  such  confusion 
seen  before  in  mortal  affairs,  as  in  these  rescued  bales 
and  boxes.  All  around  the  spacious  yards  of  the 
consignee  there  were  piles,  a  dozen  feet  high,  of  cot 
tons,  calicoes,  muslins,  linens,  and  flannels,  all  as  full 
of  salt  water  as  ever  was  a  sailor  of  grog  and  to 
bacco  juice.  Wet  figs  lay  in  juxtaposition  with  wet 
lire-crackers.  Reams  of  tinted  paper  were  deposited 
side  by  side  with  boxes  of  fine  lace,  tubs  of  mack 
erel,  and  barrels  of  yeast ;  the  latter  facetiously 
marked,  in  conspicuous  letters,  "  Keep  this  dry."  It 
was  a  scene  of  complete  pellmell,  with  buyers  going 
here  and  there  in  a  high  state  of  agitation,  and  ne 
groes,  who  never  could  be  made  to  lay  out  their 
strength  before,  now  all  in  a  lather. 

The  goods  once  distributed  among  the  merchants, 
their  shop  doors  and  windows  were  festooned  with 
cotton  and  woollen  fabrics,  which,  hanging  down  to 
the  sidewalk,  were  trodden  under  foot  by  the  crowd 
of  black  and  white  purchasers.  Even  the  sides  of 
several  of  the  streets  and  lanes  were  covered  with 
wet  goods,  spread  out  to  dry  in  the  sun  ;  fences  and 
trees  were  hung  with  them ;  and  the  very  roofs  of 
the  houses  fluttered  with  muslins. 


NASSAU— A   WINTER  NEWPORT.  347 

Truly,  to  enjoy  a  wreck,  one  must  come  to  Nas 
sau. 

The  white-stone  days,  it  may  be  added,  on  which 
the  fleet  of  wreckers  sails  into  the  harbor,  have  but 
one  holiday  in  all  the  iNassauese  year  to  rival  them  ; 
and  that  is  the  one  wherein  occurs  the  august  cere 
mony  of  the  opening  of  the  Bahama  Parliament. 
Flags  are  then  hoisted,  guns  fired,  and  the  regiment 
of  blacks  mustered ;  while  the  band  plays  the  na 
tional  anthem,  and  other  airs  patriotic.  Meanwhile, 
the  Governor,  having  come  down  to  the  House  in 
sword  and  epaulettes,  the  sergeant-at-arms  holds 
aloft  his  mace,  and  brings  up  the  honorable  members 
of  the  House  of  Assembly  into  the  presence  of  His 
Excellency.  Thereupon  the  latter  proceeds,  sitting 
in  his  chair  of  state,  and  with  his  plumed  hat  on,  to 
read  to  them,  together  with  the  gentlemen  of  the 
Privy  Council,  his  gubernatorial  speech.  The  honor- 
ables  of  the  House  stand  during  the  ceremony,  all  in 
respectful  tail  coats  ;  while  the  honorables  of  the 
Council  sit  during  the  same,  clad  in  coats  of  blue 
broadcloth,  set  off  with  gilded  buttons  and  linings  of 
white  silk,  and  matched  with  buff  waistcoats.  The 
reverend  clergy  occupy  a  corner  of  the  scene,  arrayed 
in  black  silk  gowns ;  some  having  their  hoods  lined 
with  scarlet,  and  some  bordered  with  white  down. 
But  most  conspicuous  stands  jtmong  them  the  chief 


348  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS, 

prelate,  sporting  his  doctor's  cap  and  gown  of  flam 
ing  red,  edged  with  black  velvet ;  and  having  his 
under  person  set  out  in  silk  stockings  and  short 
clothes.  Over  against  the  men  of  God  are  seen 
grouped  together  the  men  of  war — red  coats  all, 
spurred,  also,  and  sworded,  and  some  of  them  having 
their  breasts  decked  with  ribbons  and  crosses.  Nor 
does  the  fair  sex  fail  of  being  present ;  the  roses  in 
their  hats,  if  not  their  cheeks,  vying  with  the  crim 
son  of  the  priests  and  soldiers,  and  the  unusual  red 
in  the  face  of  some  of  the  principal  actors  in  the 
ceremony.  Without  the  railing,  however,  hangs  a 
cloud  of  dusky  spectators,  negroes  and  mezzotints ; 
while  one  or  two  curly  heads  may,  perchance,  be 
noticed  on  the  shoulders  of  the  honorable  members 
of  the  House  of  Assembly. 

On  the  whole,  this  must  be  pronounced  a  very 
brilliant  and  high-colored  scene,  in  miniature  ;  and  as 
thoroughly  English  as  anything  to  be  witnessed  in 
Westminster  Hall,  or  the  Houses  of  Parliament. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

Santa    Cruz   and    its    Free  dm  en. 

I~N  my  search  about  the  world  for  fine  days,  I 
thought  that  I  had  found  the  finest  at  Xassau  ; 
but  I  was  compelled  to  change  my  mind  after  reach 
ing  Santa  Cruz.  The  climate  of  this  latter  island  is 
both  dryer  and  more  constant  than  that  of  the  Baha 
mas.  One  may  even  spend  the  entire  winter  here 
without  once  encountering  what,  at  the  Xorth,  is 
called  bad  weather.  There  may  be  no  storms  ;  no 
entirely  clouded  skies  ;  no  rains,  excepting  showers  ; 
no  winds,  excepting  the  northeast  trades.  The  island 
being  destitute  of  high  mountains  or  forests,  the 
clouds  are  not  detained  on  their  courses  by  this  speck 
of  land ;  and  one  half  the  rain  to  which  it  is  fairly 
entitled  is  drawn  over  to  the  well-wooded  mountain 
sides  of  its  neighbor,  Porto  Rico,  lying  to  leeward. 
Moreover,  the  rain  descending  in  occasional  showers, 
is  immediately  absorbed  by  the  thirsty  ground ; 


G50  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

while  the  dews  of  night  are  gone  almost  before  the 
morning.  The  range  of  the  thermometer,  during  the 
winter  months,  is  between  seventy  and  eighty  de 
grees  of  Fahrenheit.  The  stranger,  judging  of  the 
state  of  the  atmosphere  by  his  sensations,  notices,  at 
this  season,  very  little  change  from  day  to  day ;  but 
the  Creole  constitution,  on  the  other  hand,  is  sensi 
tive  to  the  slightest  variations.  The  north  wind, 
which  the  New  Englander  finds  pleasantly  bracing, 
brings  colds,  followed  by  mild  attacks  of  chills  and 
fever,  to  the  natives.  The  negro  now  sleeps  by  night 
in  a  cabin  as  hermetically  sealed  as  cracks  and  cran 
nies  will  permit.  The  air  within  is  never  too  thick 
for  him ;  and  he  fears  a  draught  of  night  wind  as 
much  as  if  he  were  a  Frenchman.  The  whites,  how 
ever,  always  sleep  with  either  doors  or  windows 
open.  And,  with  very  few  exceptions,  they  wear 
woollen  clothes  in  winter,  together  with  flannel  next 
the  skin.  For,  say  they,  we  cannot  move  in  this  cli 
mate  without  getting  into  a  state  of  perspiration ; 
and  we  cannot  stand  still  without  being  in  a  current 
of  air.  Hence,  linen  is  worn  outside,  if  worn  at  all, 
and  wool  beneath  it.  But  the  stranger  in  full  health 
may  dress  differently ;  and,  for  my  part,  I  found 
myself  never  so  comfortable  as  when  clad  in  a  com 
plete  suit  of  light  flannel,  without  under-dress  of  any 
kind — excepting  a  cotton  shirt.  My  linen  trunk 
proved  to  be  a  ponderous  superfluity. 


SANTA    CRUZ  AND   ITS  FREED  MEN.         351 

Quarantined  by  forty  miles  of  ocean,  this  solitary 
island  is  rarely  visited  by  epidemics.  The  cholera 
did  not  come  here  when  formerly  ravaging  the  West 
Indies  ;  and  though,  in  unhealthy  seasons,  there  may 
be  a  few  isolated  cases  of  yellow  fever,  this  disease 
does  not  prevail  as  in  Cuba  and  Jamaica.  The 
robust  appearance  of  the  native  population  is  suffi 
cient  proof  of  the  salubrity  of  the  climate  ;  and — 
what  is  remarkable — in  the  hotter  part  of  the  year  the 
public  health  stands  the  highest.  The  men,  espe 
cially,  are  neither  sallow  in  complexion  nor  spare  of 
flesh  ;  but  have,  on  the  contrary,  the  gloAV  of  health 
in  their  faces,  and  are  well  covered  with  hard  muscle. 
The  climate  agrees  with  both  men  and  wine — makes 
good  blood  and  good  Madeira. 

Yet  the  unacclimated  invalid  should  not  stand  too 
much  in  the  sun.  Let  him  at  all  hours,  excepting  the 
early  morning  and  evening,  keep  an  umbrella  over 
his  head,  or  a  carriage  top,  or  the  roof  of  a  house. 
His  physician,  probably,  will  have  sent  him  to  Santa 
Cruz  to  live  out  of  doors  ;  but,  with  doors  and  win 
dows  always  open,  it  is  out-of-door  life  here  in  the 
house.  Let  the  sick  man  rather  beware  of  too  much 
exercise  in  the  open  air — at  least,  for  the  first  month 
or  two  ;  let  him  keep  himself  much  more  quiet  than 
he  would  at  the  Xorth ;  for,  if  he  do  not  over- 
fatigue  himself,  nor  commit  imprudences,  the  mere 


352  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

breathing  of  the  salubrious  air  will  cure  him — pro 
vided  he  be  not  past  cure.  In  former  winters  there 
were  hundreds  of  valetudinarians  from  the  North  in 
Santa  Cruz,  where  there  are  now  dozens.  They  have 
been  enticed  away  to  places  in  the  South  less  favor 
able  to  their  recovery,  by  the  facilities  of  railroads 
and  steamships.  They  have  not  patience  enough  for 
the  slow  sailing  vessels.  Made  restless  by  disease, 
they  prefer  going  to  ports  which  they  can  with  more 
ease  get  away  from,  as  well  as  where  they  can  re 
ceive  more  regularly  advices  from  the  home  which 
they  are  all  so  apt  to  yearn  for. 

Well — it  is  a  long  voyage  from  New  York  to 
Santa  Cruz.  Eight  days  may,  indeed,  suffice  for  it ; 
but,  more  likely,  the  good  ship  will  take  sixteen.  Nor 
are  there  any  regular  packets.  Generally,  one  can 
come  only  by  sailing  vessel  to  Saint  Thomas,  or  by 
steamer  to  Saint  Thomas,  via  Havana  or  Bermuda. 
Then  remains  the  trip  of  forty  miles  across  to  this 
island  in  a  small  schooner,  having  state  rooms  on 
deck,  fitly  yclept  doghouses.  But  do  not  be  dis 
couraged.  If  the  invalid  have  only  strength  enough 
to  get  to  the  end  of  the  journey,  and  also  good  ac 
commodations  secured  in  advance,  his  chance  of 
recovery  will  be  greater  here  than  in  most  of  the 
other  islands. 

Yet  the  stranger  who  comes  to  pass  the  winter  in 


SANTA    CRUZ  AND  ITS  FREEDMEN.         353 

Santa  Cruz  will  do  well  to  bring  all  his  resources  for 
killing  time  along  with  him.  For  the  days  are  long 
and  sunny ;  and  there  are  no  libraries,  or  bookshops, 
or  magazines,  or  daily  newspapers.  The  glorious  sun 
is  intent  on  ripening  the  sugar  canes,  and  not  on 
looking  about  Santa  Cruz  for  poets  or  philosophers. 
The  monotony  of  the  livelong  day  may  occasionally 
be  broken  by  a  morning  call,  or  matinee,  or  birthday 
party.  Once  a  month  there  may  be  pigeon  shooting ; 
and,  once  in  the  season,  horse  racing.  Persons  prop 
erly  introduced  into  society  will  now  and  then  be 
asked  to  dinners,  balls,  and  parties.  But  riding  and 
driving  will  be  found  to  be  far  more  ingenious  inven 
tions  for  whiling  the  time  away  ;  the  roads  being  the 
best  in  America — smooth,  hard,  and  free  from  dust. 
After  getting  acclimated,  horses  from  the  North 
thrive  well  here ;  while  the  native  animals  are  both 
fleet  and  hardy,  and  will  carry  you,  under  the  saddle, 
at  a  good  round  pace  as  carefully  as  if  you  were 
eggs.  Their  gait  is  the  perfection  of  equine  grace 
and  rhythm. 

For  my  part,  while  I  preferred  the  evening  hour 
for  climbing,  on  horseback,  the  hills  to  "  Punch  "  and 
"  Mt.  Victory,"  through  the  romantic  ravine  of  Crai- 
crai,  shaded  by  Thibet  and  mahogany  trees,  skirted 
by  ipecacuanha,  hybiscus,  cactus,  and  fragrant  log 
wood  hedges,  and  draped  by  every  variety  of  tropi- 


354  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS.    , 

cal  trailing  plants,  flower-bearing  parasites,  and  moss 
es  and  creepers,  half  pendent  from  the  overhanging 
precipices — the  path  winding  gradually  up  out  of  the 
solemn  gloom  of  the  deep  dell  into  the  brilliant  blue 
of  the  hilltop  sky — I  preferred,  decidedly,  the  mid 
day  for  carriage  exercise.  In  the  very  brightness  of 
the  noontide  we  used  to  sally  forth,  two  ponies  in 
hand ;  and  the  eager  animals  apparently  as  much  in 
love  with  the  sun  as  ourselves  ;  for  away  they  flew 
over  the  smooth  road,  drinking  in  the  eastern  trade 
wind  with  distended  nostrils,  their  long  tails  floating 
behind,  their  beating  hoofs  resounding  like  the  waves 
of  the  beach  by  the  side  of  which  they  trotted,  and 
not  more  heated  by  the  sun  than  cooled  by  the  sea 
breeze.  Protected  by  the  carriage  top  from  the 
direct  rays  of  the  great  luminary  in  the  zenith,  and 
fanned  by  the  soft  airs  which  were  invited  in  by  the 
curtains  rolled  up  on  all  sides,  we  found  this  rapid 
rolling  over  the  road,  at  noon,  a  more  delectable 
combination  of  the  hot  and  the  cold  than  the  sitting 
in  any  summer  cave  or  forest  shade — more  delicious 
than  ices  under  the  reign  of  the  dog  star,  or  cham 
pagne  out  of  the  cooler.  And,  indeed,  the  intoxica 
tion  of  the  motion  was  as  great  as  from  mild  wine. 
We  were  intoxicated  with  delight.  The  ponies,  out- 
flying  the  flies,  were  not  stung  by  them ;  what  little 
dust  might  have  been  raised  on  the  hard  road  was 


SANTA    CRUZ  AND  ITS  FREEDMEN.         355 

left  behind.  The  ladies  had  no  fans,  nor  any  shawls 
but  scarfs,  and  ribbons  fluttering.  We  looked  out, 
on  one  side,  upon  the  indigo  sea,  sometimes  almost 
feeling  the  spray  from  its  long-drawn  waves  break 
ing  on  the  shore  ;  and,  on  the  other,  upon  lines  of 
palms  and  groves  of  sugar  cane.  The  little  black 
children  leaped  out  of  the  road,  and  threw  up  their 
caps,  and  opened  on  us  their  batteries  of  laughing 
ivory  as  we  passed.  The  market  women  turned 
aside  their  "  emancipation  carts  "  far  ahead,  on  hear 
ing  the  coming  rattling ;  and  the  men  from  the 
sugar  fields — their  ponies'  sides  projecting  wide  with 
their  load  of  canes — carefully  drew  them  almost  into 
the  gutter,  in  order  to  let  the  hurrying  wheels  go  by. 
Did  we  not  also  hang  out  orange  boughs  from  the 
carriage  sides  ?  And  did  wre  not  bring  home  under 
the  seats  the  big  yellow  shaddocks  and  grape  fruit, 
more  delicate  to  the  taste  than  oranges  ?  And  had 
we  not  baskets  stuffed  with  sapodillas  and  sugar 
apples  ?  And  did  we  not  come  back,  too,  with  nuts 
in  our  cheeks,  like  monkeys,  and  no  small  part  of  the 
juices  and  the  aroma  of  the  tropics  on  lips  and 
tongue  ?  Of  course  we  did. 

And  the  ponies,  likewise,  fared  wrell  after  such 
stretching  of  their  legs.  For  their  aged  friend  tied 
them  under  the  cool  India-rubber  and  frangipanni 
trees,  without  any  fear  of  rheumatism  before  his 


356  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

eyes ;  and  gave  them  big,  succulent  heaps  of  green 
corn  blades,  or  the  still  sweeter  leaves  of  the  sugar 
cane.  Doubtless  they  liked,  too,  the  scent  of  the 
fnmgipanni . 

Occasionally,  the  object  of  our  noonday  drives 
was  to  attend  parties  given  by  daylight.  For  here 
the  custom  is  to  give  entertainments  not  only  by 
night,  but  more  frequently  during  the  solid  hours  of 
sunshine — especially  when  ladies  are  to  be  present. 
The  distances  between  the  estates  are,  of  course? 
considerable ;  so  that  the  guests  have  to  make  a 
journey  often  of  half  a  dozen  miles  or  more.  Aiid 
though  gentlemen,  with  or  without  a  blanket  over 
their  shoulders,  and  perhaps  the  friendly  company  of 
a  cigar,  do  not  object,  after  having  dined  together  at 
six  o'clock,  to  a  rapid  drive  across  the  island  at  mid 
night,  ladies,  who  in  this  as  in  so  many  other  things 
are  more  sensible,  prefer  the  lively  morning  hours 
for  such  excursions.  They  are  always  ready  for  a 
dance  by  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  in  spite  of  him. 
They  are  never  too  warm  in  dancing.  The  trade 
wind  is  their  fan.  They  stand  tiptoe  as  easily  as  a 
New  Englander  walks  on  his  heels.  And  it  would 
seem  as  though  the  hotter  the  climate,  the  more  sat 
isfactory  was  the  pastime — just  as  the  tropical  gen 
tlemen  say  that  the  hotter  the  day,  the  more  rum 
goes  into  the  punch. 


SANTA    CRUZ  AND  ITS  FREED  MEN.         357 

Certain  it  is,  the  exercise  puts  the  palates  of  all 
into  a  proper  mood  for  receiving  the  cold  turkey,  or 
the  hot  guinea  fowl  of  the  luncheon.  And  perhaps 
few  persons  suspect  what  a  jewel  of  a  bird  the  tropi 
cal  guinea  fowl  is,  when,  deprived  of  its  voice,  it 
appears  on  the  table — for,  if  it  still  retained  its  pre 
ternatural  screech,  I  think  no  one  could  cat  it.  The 
heat  of  an  island  so  near  the  sun  is  always  a  good 
excuse  for  thirst.  Accordingly,  if  you  think  the  cli 
mate  does  not  agree  with  the  thin  wines,  you  need 
not  have  any  fear  of  swallowing  a  single  glass  of  old 
sherry,  or  Madeira,  after  the  guinea  fowl.  You  might 
not  drink  it  at  the  North  for  a  variety  of  reasons  ; 
but  here  it  is  absolutely  cooling  to  the  blood ;  it 
gives  great  powers  of  resistance  against  the  South 
ern  heat ;  and  your  footing  in  the  dance  will  be  all 
the  lighter  for  it.  Neither  disdain  the  sweetmeats. 
They  will  agree  with  your  constitution  as  well  as,  at 
the  North,  do  sourkrout  and  pickles.  Sugar  would 
seem  here  to  acquire,  by  some  gastric  mystery  of 
fermentation,  the  strengthening  properties  of  alco 
hol  ;  so  that,  the  more  you  eat  of  it,  the  more  you 
partake  of  the  nature  of  a  lion  with  honey  in  his 
belly. 

But,  fasting  or  feasting,  you  must  dance.  For 
see  how  frantically  Sambo's  head  is  nodding  with  all 
its  wool  on  it ;  and  with  what  comic  grimaces — his 


358  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

mouth  a  gash  from  ear  to  ear — lie  draws  the  fiddle 
bow !  Old  and  young  join  in  the  graceful  mazes. 
Meanwhile,  buds  of  roses  bloom  on  the  maidens' 
breasts  ;  and  the  delicate  blossoms  and  fair  leaves  of 
noyau  wreaths  encircle  their  brows.  Is  it  the  scent 
of  white  jessamines,  whiter  for  the  contrast  with  the 
raven  hair,  which  so  pleasantly  perfumes  the  summer 
breeze  ?  Or  do  these  sweets  float  in  through  the 
windows,  thus  gracefully  latticed  by  passion-flower 
vines,  from  the  lilies  and  the  daturas,  the  oleanders 
and  the  fragrant  cedars  of  the  garden  ?  Dance 
while  the  day  lasts  ;  for  in  the  sunny  courtyard  a 
score  of  little  darkeys  are  industriously  improving 
the  music,  which  sounds  none  the  less  sweet  to  their 
sun-burnt  ears  for  passing  through  the  open  doors 
and  windows ;  and  are  pirouetting,  and  knocking 
their  naked  heels,  and  crooking  their  elbows,  until 
the  perspiration  runs  down  their  faces  like  cane  juice 
from  the  cylinders — literally  enjoying  their  fun  in 
the  sweat  of  their  brows,  and  laboring  as  if  they 
thought  every  waltz  and  cotillon  were  a  regular 
"breakdown."  The  merry  fellows  would  be  sorry 
to  stop  as  long  as  they  can  have  the  sun  to  shine  on 
them.  So  dance  on. 

"  Juchhe  !   Juclibe  ! 
Juchheisa  !    Heisa  !   He  ! 
So  ging  der  Fiedelbogen." 


SANTA    CRUZ  AND  ITS  FREEDMEN.        359 

In  the  days  of  slavery,  this  island  of  the  Holy 
Cross  was  called  the  Garden  of  the  "West  Indies ; 
and,  though  now  partaking  somewhat  of  the  nature 
of  a  paradise  lost,  it  remains  still  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  spots  in  the  tropics.  Riding,  one  after 
noon,  with  a  pleasant  party  of  friends,  to  the  top  of 
the  Bodkin — a  height  of  a  thousand  feet  or  more — I 
thought  the  prospect  one  of  the  most  lovely  I  had 
ever  seen  in  any  country.  The  hills,  valleys,  and 
plains  upon  which  I  looked  down  were  nearly  all 
green  with  sugar  canes.  On  one  side,  the  hills, 
round  topped,  and  most  gracefully  curved,  rolled 
away  like  the  waves  of  a  sea  of  emerald ;  on  the 
other,  stretched  off  toward  a  range  of  hills  to  the 
eastward,  a  broad  plain  of  the  greatest  fertility,  com 
pletely  cane-covered,  and  dotted  over  with  a  large 
number  of  bright-colored  plantations.  These,  having 
each  one  tall  white  chimney,  resembled,  in  the  dis 
tance,  the  small  villages  of  the  South  of  Europe, 
overtopped  by  spires.  The  windmills,  too,  on  the 
lower  summits,  had  a  picturesque  eifect ;  while  many 
dismantled  ones  might  remind  the  traveller  of  the 
ruined  towers  which  overhang  the  Rhine  and  the 
Danube.  The  prospect  all  around  us  was  beautiful ; 
but  our  hearts  were  almost  too  gay ;  for  one  of  the 
company,  having  cut  a  bough  from  an  orange  tree 
full  of  fruit,  and  borne  it  in  triumph  to  the  summit, 


360  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

I  remember  that  our  lips  were  running  over  with 
most  delicious  orange  juice,  at  the  same  time  our 
eyes  were  running  over  with  delight  in  the  beauty  of 
the  landscape. 

The  house  in  which  I  was  so  fortunate  as  to  stay 
during  my  visit  to  the  island,  stood  midway  on  a 
hillside  covered  with  green  canes,  and  sloping  grace 
fully  to  the  sea  shore.  It  was  therefore  convenient 
both  for  the  morning  bath  and  the  afternoon  ride  on 
the  heights.  Convenient,  also,  was  it  for  seeing  the 
sun  go  down  in  the  sea ;  for  the  horizon  of  waters 
compassed,  at  this  point,  almost  an  entire  semicircle. 
We  found  excellent  companionship  in  the  mild,  tropi 
cal  ocean,  the  waves  of  which  were  constantly  mak 
ing,  both  by  day  and  night,  a  pleasing  murmur, 
rarely  changed  to  a  roar.  The  ground  swell  brought 
up  shells  and  corals.  In  the  quiet  bays  the  grave 
pelicans  dived,  rapid  as  the  thunderbolt,  all  day 
long  for  sprats ;  and,  returning  at  evening  to  their 
accustomed  resting  place,  sailed  sometimes  directly 
over  our  heads,  silently  as  the  falling  dew,  and  hold 
ing  both  wing  and  breath  for  a  long  distance.  The 
shadows  of  passing  rain  clouds  coming  over  the  hills 
out  of  the  northeast,  often  blackened  the  blue  of  the 
ocean  in  certain  portions  of  it,  while  others  were 
glittering  in  sunlight ;  and  the  April-like  showers 
which  fell  from  time  to  time  were  generally  accom- 


SANTA    CRUZ  AND  ITS  FREED  MEN.         361 

panied  by  brilliant  rainbows,  sometimes  double,  or 
triple,  or  even  quadruple — rainbows  in  clusters,  like 
the  clustered  pillars  in  Gothic  cathedrals.  Often 
rising  out  of  the  depth  of  a  valley,  climbing  the  hill 
sides,  and  sweeping  through  the  sky  down  into  the 
ocean,  they  brought  to  mind  the  shining  angel  in  the 
Apocalypse,  who  stood  with  one  foot  on  the  sea  and 
the  other  on  the  land.  On  calm  days,  the  shores,  in 
places  where  there  were  coral  reefs  below  the  water, 
would  be  as  green  as  the  deepest  emerald ;  at  other 
times,  the  long  line  of  rocks  and  beaches  would  be 
completely  frosted  with  foam.  IsTot  only  the  colors 
of  the  sunset  were  reflected  on  the  broad  expanse  of 
waters,  but  throughout  the  day  a  flitting  purple  light 
was  often  spread  by  passing  clouds  over  the  waves. 
In  the  early  evening,  the  moon,  when  but  one  day 
old,  drew  a  thread  of  silver  from  the  horizon  to  the 
land ;  while  the  full  moon  poured  a  perfect  flood  of 
illumination  over  hills,  valleys,  and  the  sea.  The 
limestone  road  which  wound  around  the  foot  of  the 
hill  below  us,  running  on  the  edge  of  the  shore,  shone 
then  as  if  covered  with  hoarfrost ;  and  the  numerous 
forms  of  the  palm  trees  bordering  it  were  doubled 
by  their  shadows.  So  transparent,  indeed,  is  the 
atmosphere  in  these  latitudes,  that,  in  calm  weather, 
not  only  the  islands  of  Saint  Thomas  and  Saint 
Johns,  lying  forty  miles  to  the  northward,  may  be 


362  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS, 

seen  distinctly  by  the  naked  eye,  but  Porto  Rico 
comes  into  view,  and  reveals  its  mountains,  at  a  dis 
tance  of  a  hundred  miles,  floating  among  the  clouds. 
Various  other  small  islands  also  loom  up,  at  such 
times,  out  of  the  misty  distance ;  so  that  the  beams 
of  the  chambers  of  the  firmament  seem  to  be  resting 
upon  them. 

Directly  behind  the  house  was  the  garden.  A 
door  opening  from  one  of  our  rooms  into  this,  it  was 
pleasant  to  sit  looking,  on  one  side,  toward  the  sea, 
and,  on  the  other,  upon  flowers  and  green  leaves.  It 
was  pleasant  to  step  out,  as  the  morning  was  coming 
up  behind  the  eastern  hills,  among  the  roses  and 
the  lilies,  and  many  sweet-scented  shrubs,  and  tall 
trees  bearing  flowers.  At  this  hour  I  always  realized 
best  that  I  was  in  the  tropics.  As  if  in  the  natural 
state  and  condition  of  man,  I  stepped  from  my  room 
into  this  little  tropical  Eden,  wherein  was  no  sin,  but 
only  the  gushing  light  of  the  Southern  morning ; 
only  the  freshness  of  the  sunrise  air,  in  temperature 
just  fitted  to  sense  and  feeling;  only  the  green, 
glossy  foliage,  and  buds  and  blossoms  of  every  hue 
and  fragrance.  Here,  from  the  tops  of  tall  trees,  the 
glowing  scarlet  cordia  blossoms  saluted,  high  in  air, 
the  rising  sun ;  while  those  of  the  burning  love 
shrub,  and  of  the  soldier's  plume,  equally  full  of 
fire,  but  growing  lower,  welcomed  him  to  the  ground. 


SANTA    CRUZ  AND  ITS  FREEDMEN.        363 

Great  clusters  of  oleanders,  also,  reddened  the  morn 
ing  air  ;  and  groves  of  full-blown  yellow  cedar  trees, 
mingled  with  high  Spanish  jessamines,  gave  back  to 
the  sky  more  than  its  own  effulgence  of  molten  gold. 
How  gorgeous  these  tropical  flowers  !  How  strange 
to  the  sight  these  broadly  spreading  giant  trees,  and 
these  puffed  and  swrollen  Guinea  tamarinds,  their 
trunks  resembling  in  color  the  hide  of  the  elephant ! 
But  the  palm  trees  are  the  most  beautiful  of  all, 
though  now,  unfortunately,  more  or  less  scathed  by 
disease ;  and  they  may  be  seen,  throughout  the 
island,  skirting  the  roadsides,  and  tufting,  here  and 
there,  the  hilltops. 

In  such  groves  and  gardens  strolling,  during  the 
first  cool  of  the  day,  I  was  sometimes  tempted  to 
wish  that  there  existed  in  our  American  tropics  some 
great  city  worthy  of  their  beauty  and  splendor — one 
that  might  indeed  be  called  a  Garden  City,  its  houses 
being  embowered  in  flowers,  and  having  gardens 
hanging,  if  need  were,  like  those  of  Bagdad,  in  the 
air.  Of  such  a  great  capital,  the  architecture  might 
be  as  light  and  graceful — as  fantastic,  too — as  was 
that  of  the  Moors  in  Spain.  How  splendid  would  be 
the  pomp  of  arms  and  military  parade  beneath  the 
sun  of  these  tropics !  How  beautiful,  likewise,  the 
music  of  colloseums  open  to  the  air,  fanned  by  the 
soft  trade  wind,  and  lighted  by  the  full  moon ! 


364  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

Here  the  costumes  of  the  promenade  and  the  dance 
might  well  glow  in  rivalry  with  the  bright  colors  of 
the  Southern  vegetation.  The  domes  and  minarets 
might  better  be  gilded  than  those  of  Moscow,  situ 
ated  beneath  a  sky  of  lead  ;  while  the  inner  walls  of 
house  and  palace  should  be  hung  with  colors  caught 
from  West  Indian  skies  and  seas,  as  were  those  of 
Titian  from  the  waves  and  the  marbles  of  Venice. 
No  doubt,  however,  the  delights  of  such  a  tropical 
seat  of  art  and  empire  would  be  too  luscious  for  our 
dyspeptic  humanity ;  and,  for  some  centuries  to 
come,  the  highest  civilization  will  be  that  which  is 
fed  on  the  gravel  stones  of  the  North. 

So  far,  indeed,  the  West  Indies  have  done  little 
more  for  man  than  to  develop  the  faculties  and  pas 
sions  most  nearly  allied  to  sense.  These  islands  have 
been  cultivated  for  their  sweets  and  their  aromas. 
For  a  time,  cotton  was  grown  here,  as  well  as"  coffee 
and  cocoa;  but  the  sugar  cane  has  completely  sup 
planted  them ;  so  that  all  the  hills  and  valleys  now 
drop  with  the  fatness  of  sling  and  molasses.  In 
Santa  Cruz,  however,  nearly  the  whole  of  the  lat 
ter  article  is  sublimed  into  rum — potent,  aromatic 
"  Santa  Cruz  ; "  and,  by  feeding  upon  a  little  of  this, 
and  a  good  deal  of  cane  juice,  do  the  negroes,  in 
crop  time,  fatten  themselves.  Even  the  cattle  and 
horses  grow  sleek  on  the  green  cane  leaves.  The 


SANTA    CRUZ  AND  ITS  FREEDMEN.        365 

fields  are  full  of  rats  and  mice  gnawing  the  stalks  for 
dear  life  ;  and  the  very  dogs  and  cats  would  become 
well  favored  from  the  drippings  of  the  sugar  kettles, 
did  not  the  climate  impose  upon  them  the  law  of 
perpetual  leanness. 

With  these  two  exceptions,  all  animals,  human  or 
brute,  thrive  on  sugar — but  most  of  all  the  negro. 
During  the  grinding  season  he  is  as  full  of  juice  as 
a  cane  in  the  field ;  while  in  the  other  seasons  of  the 
year  he  gradually  becomes-  almost  as  thin  as  a  cane 
which  has  passed  between  the  cylinders.  In  the  for 
mer  period,  his  skin  shines  like  the  face  of  one 
anointed  with  oil.  He  is  full  of  blood  and  marrow  ; 
and,  when  angry,  will  butt  his  adversary  with  his 
head  like  a  ram.  The  senses  bud,  blossom,  and  bear 
luscious  fruit ;  wellnigh  overlying,  even  in  the  white 
Creole,  the  more  spiritual  faculties  and  sentiments. 
The  latter  eats  less  sugar,  and  even  drinks  less  rum  ; 
but  he  has  turtle,  and  oysters  which  grow  on  trees, 
and  pork  fattened  on  cane,  and  turkeys  made  tipsy 
with  rum  before  killing,  and  mutton  which  is  tender 
enough  without  being  papawed.  The  Santa  Cruzians 
are  to  this  day  drinking  old  Madeira  ripened  by  their 
climate,  while  the  rest  of  the  world  has  scarcely  a 
drop  left  of  it.  Unlike  the  Spaniards,  their  neigh 
bors,  they  give  dinners  as  well  as  balls.  They  dine, 
and  dance,  and  have  their  rubber  at  whist.  They 


366  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

also  go  to  church  on  Sunday ;  but  a  man  may  live 
long  on  the  island  without  listening  to  a  public 
speech,  or  a  lecture.  One  would  be  at  a  loss  to 
know  where  to  go  to  buy  a  book.  Among  the  bet 
ter  class  of  wrhites,  the  children  are  sent  to  Europe, 
or  the  States,  to  be  educated ;  but,  where  the  sun  is 
so  hot  as  it  is  in  the  West  Indies,  a  young  man  soon 
forgets  his  Latin.  Twice  a  month  the  mails  bring 
the  English  and  American  newspapers.  A  gentle 
man  now  and  then  receives  odd  copies  of  the  re 
views  and  magazines.  Danish  papers,  also,  come 
from  Copenhagen  a  month  or  two  old,  and  some 
times  mouldy  from  sea  fog  and  salt  water.  On  such 
food  does  the  public  mind  starve  ! 

Happily,  the  Santa  Cruzians  are  compelled  to  be 
reasonably  industrious — the  blacks  by  lawr,  and  the 
whites  by  necessity.  Previously  to  the  year  1848, 
the  laborers  were  all  slaves ;  and  so  heavily  were 
they  tasked,  that  the  profits  of  sugar  growing  were 
very  great.  The  planters  lived  in  ease  and  luxury, 
and  the  island  was  filled  with  inhabitants  consider 
ably  beyond  its  present  numbers.  But  in  that  year 
the  blacks,  by  a  concert  of  action,  and  secretly  insti 
gated  and  favored,  as  is  generally  believed,  by  the 
Government  in  Denmark,  suddenly  ceased  work,  as 
sembled  in  the  two  chief  towns  of  the  island,  and 
declared  themselves  freemen.  And  after  two  or 


SANTA    CRUZ  AND  ITS  FREED  MEN.         367 

three  days  of  interregnum,  during  which  consider 
able  property  was  destroyed,  but  no  lives  taken,  the 
claims  of  the  insurrectionists  were  allowed,  on  the 
one  hand  ;  while,  on  the  other,  they  agreed  to  return 
to  their  estates,  and  resume  their  customary  labors, 
on  payment  of  wages  by  their  former  masters. 
From  twenty-five  to  thirty  thousand  slaves  forcibly 
recovered  their  rights  from  one  quarter  of  that  num 
ber  of  whites,  without  hurting  a  hair  of  their  heads. 
At  first,  the  home  Government  made  fair  promises 
of  granting  some  small  amount  of  compensation  to 
the  planters  for  their  loss  of  service  ;  but  being,  at 
the  same  time,  of  opinion  that  the  island  would,  in 
the  end,  be  rather  a  gainer  than  a  loser  by  the 
change,  it  at  first  postponed,  and  finally  withheld  all 
remuneration.  And  if  the  very  great  wealth  and 
prosperity  of  the  planters  has  been  materially  dimin 
ished  since  the  emancipation  of  the  slaves,  this  un 
favorable  change  is  no  doubt  to  be  attributed  much 
more  to  the  lavish  expenditure,  and  the  practice  of 
plunging  recklessly  into  debt,  on  the  part  of  the 
landowners,  than  to  the  diminished  results  of  labor 
under  the  system  of  freedom.  The  planters,  of  late 
years,  complain  of  the  insufficiency  of  labor  on  the 
island,  and  have  made  some  efforts  to  import  free 
blacks  from  the  more  populous  and  more  prosperous 
island  of  Barbadoes.  But  they  at  the  same  time  admit 


368  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

that  the  freedmen  are  fairly  industrious  ;  and  acknowl 
edge  themselves,  on  the  whole,  satisfied  with  the 
new  order  of  things.  If  the  summits  of  the  range 
of  hills  which  follow  the  whole  length  of  the  north 
ern  shore  are  not  as  green  with  cultivation  as  for 
merly,  but  many  of  them  overgrown  with  the  brush 
which  now  furnishes  a  home  for  the  spotted  deer, 
imported  from  Ceylon,  still  all  the  lowland — a  stretch 
of  some  twenty  miles  in  length  by  nearly  half  a 
dozen,  on  an  average,  in  breadth — is  crowded  with 
waving  canes ;  while  the  fair  tropical  sky  above  is 
blackened,  in  crop  time,  by  the  smoke  of  sixty  or 
more  steam  engines.  During  the  existence  of  sla 
very,  the  number  of  estates  reached  two  hundred 
and  twenty-six,  each  containing  from  two  hundred 
and  fifty  down  to  six  acres ;  but  many  of  them, 
being  heavily  burdened  with  debt,  have  passed  out 
of  the  hands  of  the  old  planters  and  their  families ; 
their  number  has  been  reduced  to  about  ninety  ;  and 
new  men,  in  many  instances,  of  moderate  means, 
have  come  into  possession  of  them. 

If  the  Danish  Government  did  not  pay  the  plant 
ers  for  the  loss  of  their  slaves,  it  did  what  was  much 
more  for  their  interest — it  established  a  code  of  laws 
which  secured  to  them  the  willing  service  of  the 
entire  black  population.  Taking  pattern  from  French 
rather  than  English  legislation,  in  the  West  Indies,  it 


SANTA    CRUZ  AND  ITS  FREEDMEN.         369 

placed  the  newly  recognized  freemen  in  a  state  of 
tutelage,  preparatory  to  the  future  condition  of 
absolute  political  liberty.  They  were  not  to  be 
allowed  to  set  up  their  castles  of  indolence  under 
every  cocoa  tree  and  banana  shrub,  supporting  them 
selves  with  little  labor  on  the  lavish  bounty  of 
nature  in  the  tropics,  and  forming  such  habits  of 
idleness  and  vice  as  the  great  heat  of  the  climate 
would  naturally  engender ;  but  they  were  required 
by  law  to  perform  a  reasonable  amount  of  daily  toil 
— so  much  as  would  keep  up  their  habits  of  industry 
already  formed,  and  as  would  tend  to  secure  their 
moral  and  physical  well-being,  as  well  as  the  general 
welfare  of  the  white  population.  The  new  Labor 
Act  was,  in  fact,  a  system  of  laws  which  at  the  same 
time  guaranteed  to  the  emancipated  blacks  all  their 
rights,  and  minutely  prescribed  all  their  duties.  In 
all  important  particulars,  it  described  and  established 
the  relations  to  be  sustained  to  each  other  by  the  two 
classes  of  laborers  and  employers. 

The  laborers  were  divided  into  three  classes,  ac 
cording  to  age  and  capacity.  They  were  required  to 
work  five  days  in  the  week,  from  sunrise  to  sunset — 
that  is  to  say,  from  six  in  the  morning  until  six  in 
the  evening  —  resting  one  hour  for  breakfast,  and 
from  twelve  to  two  o'clock  for  dinner.  The  wages 
were  at  the  rate  of  fifteen  cents  for  those  of  the  first 
16* 


370  TO   DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

class ;  ten  cents  for  those  of  the  second  class ;  and 
five  cents  for  those  of  the  third  class,  per  day.  They 
were  also  allowed  to  claim  twenty-five  cents  out  of 
the  amount  of  a  week's  wages,  to  be  paid  in  corn 
meal  and  herrings  at  a  fixed  price,  which,  since  the 
passage  of  the  law,  has  proved  to  be  considerably 
below  that  of  the  market.  The  laborers  of  the  first 
and  second  classes  were  likewise  granted  the  use  of  a 
house,  or  dwelling  room,  and  the  use  of  a  piece  of 
ground  for  raising  vegetables,  thirty  feet  square,  or 
fifty  feet,  if  on  a  hillside.  They  were  to  have,  also, 
the  privilege  of  keeping  poultry,  pigs,  and  ponies. 
When  sick,  they  were  to  be  entitled  to  medical  at 
tendance  ;  if  disabled,  they  were  to  be  maintained  on 
the  estate ;  their  young  children  were  to  be  fed  and 
attended  to  at  the  expense  of  the  landowner ;  while 
women  were  not  to  be  required  to  work  during  a 
certain  period  after  childbearing. 

For  extra  work  on  Saturdays,  or  other  days, 
extra  pay  was  given — the  maximum  being  for  the 
first  class ;  as,  for  example,  boilermcny  in  crop  time, 
twenty  cents  per  day.  Any  laborer,  on  the  contrary, 
wilfully  abstaining  from  work  for  a  day,  would  lose 
the  day's  wages,  besides  incurring  a  fine  of  seven 
cents,  if  belonging  to  the  first  class  ;  of  five  cents,  if 
to  the  second ;  and  of  two  cents,  if  to  the  third. 
Laborers  not  working  faithfully,  or  committing  any 


SANTA    CRUZ  AND  ITS  FREEDMEN.         371 

other  offence  against  the  laws,  were  to  be  punished 
by  fine  or  imprisonment,  on  complaint  made  to  the 
magistrate  by  the  employer  or  overseer.  On  the 
other  han(J,  owners  and  managers  of  estates  con 
victed  of  violating  any  of  the  provisions  of  the 
Labor  Act,  or  convicted  of  practices  tending  wil 
fully  to  counteract  or  avoid,  either  directly  or  indi 
rectly,  any  of  its  provisions,  were  subject  to  a  fine 
not  exceeding  two  hundred  dollars. 

Gangs  of  laborers  in  the  field  are  generally  at 
tended  by  a  foreman,  whose  duty  it  is  to  see  that  all 
work  is  duly  performed,  as  well  as  to  maintain  order 
at  all  times  and  places.  He  receives  four  dollars  and 
a  half  per  month.  And  any  laborer  resisting  or  in 
sulting  him  is  liable  to  punishment  according  to  law. 

The  engagements  of  laborers  with  their  employ 
ers  are  annually  renewed  on  the  first  day  of  October. 
All  blacks  have  then  the  privilege  of  changing  their 
employers,  and  places  of  residence,  at  their  own 
pleasure  ;  and,  at  any  other  time  during  the  year, 
the  relation  between  laborer  and  employer  may  be 
dissolved  by  mutual  consent,  or  by  order  of  a  magis 
trate,  for  cause — the  laborer  making,  at  the  same 
time,  an  engagement  on  some  other  estate.  In  point 
of  fact,  however,  the  blacks  are  generally  attached 
to  their  homes,  and  do  not  often  pass  from  one  plan 
tation  to  another. 


372  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

A  military  force  of  two  or  three  hundred  men, 
maintained  in  three  small  forts,  suffices  to  overawe 
the  sixteen  thousand  blacks  and  two  thousand  mulat- 
toes ;  and  enables  the  six  thousand  whites  to  live 
without  apprehension  of  insurrection  or  disorder. 
Substantial  and  impartial  justice  seems  to  be  admin 
istered  by  the  magistrates  between  all  classes  of  the 
population.  Crimes  are  rare ;  there  is  but  little 
drunkenness ;  and  the  few  violations  of  the  Labor 
Act  occurring  are  the  result,  for  the  most  part,  of 
the  general  disposition  to  idleness  and  petty  thiev 
ing.  The  Moravian  missionaries,  who  have  been  in 
the  island  for  upward  of  a  century,  devote  them 
selves  to  the  moral  and  religious  care  of  the  blacks, 
and  the  teaching  of  their  young  children.  There  are 
nine  public  schoolhouses  ;  and  all  colored  children — 
unfortunately,  one  half  of  them  die  in  infancy,  chiefly 
from  neglect  of  parents — are  compelled  by  law  to 
attend  school  between  the  ages  of  six  and  twelve. 
Yet  it  must  be  confessed,  so  little  time  has  the  Afri 
can  nature  had  to  improve  itself  in  since  the  aboli 
tion  of  slavery,  that  not  a  quarter  of  these  pupils, 
during  all  these  years  of  attendance  at  school,  can  be 
truly  said  to  learn  how  to  read  and  write ;  and  the 
passages  of  Scripture  which  all  so  fluently  repeat 
from  day  to  day,  are  acquired  by  ear.  But  they  re 
ceive  much  excellent  moral  and  religious  instruction 


SANTA    CRUZ  AND  ITS  FREEDMEN.        373 

from  their  teachers.  They  are  also  taught  one  day 
in  the  week  in  Sunday  schools ;  while  all,  both  chil 
dren  and  parents,  are  diligent  attendants  on  public 
worship.  They  take  great  pleasure  and  pride  in 
going  to  church,  whether  Moravian,  Lutheran,  Cath 
olic,  or  Episcopal,  in  their  clean  clothes,  especially  on 
festival  days  ;  and  it  is  said  that  many  of  the  elderly 
dames  are  regularly  confirmed  every  time  the  bishop 
comes  to  the  island. 

The  more  industrious  and  intelligent  blacks  ac 
quire  a  competency ;  laying  up  their  gains  in  savings 
banks,  buying  small  plots  of  land,  and  building  small 
houses  in  town.  On  market  days,  they  may  be  seen 
driving  to  town  in  so-called  "  emancipation  carts  " — 
a  kind  of  two-wheeled  vehicle,  without  the  ease  of 
springs ;  while  the  little  picaninnies  who  stay  at 
home  entertain  themselves  with  riding  on  the  backs 
of  their  fathers'  pigs.  Many  of  the  blacks  who  have 
permission  of  the  magistrates  to  live  in  town  are 
mechanics ;  some  are  engaged  in  some  petty  trade ; 
and  others  are  fishermen,  supplying  the  market,  twice 
a  week,  with  most  delicious  fish,  and  occasionally 
offering  for  sale  to  the  stranger  those  delicate  pink 
pearls  found  in  the  conch  shell,  which  are  so  much 
more  beautiful  than  corals. 

Slowly,  but  surely,  the  African  of  this  tropical 
region,  set  free  from  bonds,  is  attaining  his  majority 


374  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

— his  manhood.  Not  only  does  he  go  regularly  to 
church,  but  he  sits  in  a  pew  in  the  midst  of  white 
folks.  The  mulatto  son  of  a  white  planter  now  and 
then  inherits  a  valuable  sugar  estate.  He  begins, 
accordingly,  to  give  balls,  and  is  invited  with  his 
family  to  Government  House.  You  do  not  yet  meet 
him  at  every  turn  in  society ;  but  you  do  sometimes 
come  on  him  suddenly,  when  not  at  all  expecting  it. 
And  in  many  cases,  it  must  be  allowed,  he  appears 
every  whit  as  worthy  of  a  place  in  polite  society  as 
his  Caucasian  neighbor.  Indeed,  while  the  fortunes 
of  the  white  man  are  gradually  going  down  in  the 
island,  his  are  slowly  going  up.  In  another  hundred 
years,  the  African  blood  will  probably  have  thor 
oughly  stained  the  Danish  and  English  ;  and  whereas 
now  the  fashion  is  for  hair  to  be  made  straight  by 
the  use  of  pomatum,  then,  no  doubt,  it  will  be  curled 
back  again  by  the  barber.  With  the  progress  of 
years,  the  number  of  educated  mulattoes  is  con 
stantly  increasing ;  while  the  children  of  pure  blacks 
are,  day  by  day,  learning  something  at  school,  if  not 
always  their  letters.  Almost  every  respectable  cabin 
in  the  island  will  give  convincing  proof  to  the  travel 
ler  that  the  inmates  are  more  or  less  blindly  feeling 
after  a  higher  ideal  of  life  ;  for  in  it  he  will  see  that 
they  are  the  possessors  of  a  nice  clean  bed — a  high 
mahogany  four-poster — covered  with  a  snow-white 


SANTA    CRUZ  AND  ITS  FREEDMEN.         3*75 

counterpane,  and  not  less  than  half  a  dozen  pillows ; 
though  the  whole  family  are,  for  the  time  being,  in 
the  habit  of  sleeping  pellmell  in  their  rags  beneath 
it.  No  doubt  the  day  will  soon  come  when  they 
will  occupy  the  bed  itself. 


CHAPTER    XXXV. 

/S  t .    Tli  omas. 

TO  one  approaching  St.  Thomas  after,  it  may 
be,  a  long  and  wearisome  voyage,  the  Virgin 
Islands,  which  stand  in  a  group  before  it,  seem  to 
come  out,  like  a  company  of  fair  maidens,  to  bid  him 
welcome.  Graceful  forms  all,  they  come  with  hands 
full  of  green  wreaths  and  the  gorgeous  flowers  of 
the  tropics,  scattering  them  on  either  side  upon  the 
blue,  sunny  waters.  The  eye,  tired  of  gazing  for 
weeks  at  the  ocean's  monotonous  horizon  and  the 
unsympathizing  waves,  is  so  cheered  by  the  sight  of 
these  fair  isles,  well  named  after  England's  famous 
queen,  standing  side  by  side  in  pleasant  companion 
ship,  assuming  every  comely  volcanic  shape,  and 
draped  to  the  feet  with  the  softest,  freshest  green,  as 
were  of  old  the  eyes  of  the  children  of  Israel  when 
Miriam  and  her  sisters  came  forth  before  them  with 
timbrels  and  with  dances.  A  few  of  these  islands 


ST.  THOMAS.  377 

are  cultivated,  producing  sugar,  cotton,  rum,  and 
wild  cattle ;  but  the  greater  number  are  too  moun 
tainous,  as  well  as  too  small  to  be  inhabited.  Swift 
and  dangerous  currents  run  between  many  of  them. 
Others  are  guarded  by  reefs  of  coral,  lying  nearly 
level  with  the  surface  of  the  water ;  while  the  pre 
cipitous,  rocky  sides  of  a  few  of  them  equally  repel 
the  approach  of  man.  The  sea  fowl  enjoy  here  an 
undisputed  home — or  disputed  only  by  their  breth 
ren,  the  high-colored  land  birds.  Nature  here  reaps 
her  own  harvests  of  falling  leaves  and  flowers,  and 
receives  into  her  oAvn  lap  the  spontaneous  fruits  as 
they  drop.  Here  reigns  silence,  unbroken  by  the 
stroke  of  the  axe  or  the  dog's  bark,  and  as  perpetual 
as  the  summer  which  dwells  on  these  shores  through 
out  the  year.  What  few  sounds  may  chance  to  reach 
the  ear  of  the  mariner,  while,  borne  by  the  currents, 
or  propelled  by  the  softly  blowing  trade  wind,  he 
floats  silently  through  these  narrow  channels,  are, 
doubtless,  such  voices  of  the  syrens  as  in  ancient 
times  were  heard  by  the  voyagers  through  the  Sicil 
ian  straits,  when  Calypso  and  her  sisters  dwelt  on 
the  shores.  If,  in  the  nineteenth  century,  one  were 
ever  liable  to  be  bound  by  the  spell  of  enchantment, 
it  certainly  might  be  when,  coining  up  on  deck  in  the 
early  morning,  he  finds  himself  suddenly  transported 
out  of  the  blank  of  the  ocean  into  the  midst  of  this 


378  To  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

fantastic  group  of  islands.  Nor  would  the  illusion 
be  dissipated  when,  having  passed  through  them,  he 
catches  sight,  in  the  distance,  of  the  hills  of  the 
town  of  St.  Thomas,  and  sails  up,  between  sheltering 
highlands,  its  beautiful  expanse  of  bay  and  harbor. 
Alas !  that  it  should  be,  the  moment  he  sets  foot  in 
the  streets. 

Twice  I  was  in  St.  Thomas  ;  but  each  time  I  got 
away  from  it  as  soon  as  I  could.  It  is  no  place  for 
pleasure — only  for  business ;  for  life  here  is  entirely 
mercantile.  Invited  by  its  fine  harbor,  commerce 
hither  brings,  year  after  year,  large  stores  for  the 
consumption,  not  so  much  of  the  inhabitants  of  St. 
Thomas  itself,  as  of  those  of  the  neighboring  West 
Indies.  This  city  is  a  great  distributing  point  for 
both  the  windward  and  the  leeward  islands  ;  a  cen 
tre  for  numerous  lines  of  sailing  packets  and  steam 
ships,  and  a  supply  station  for  vessels  of  war.  Mer 
chandise  is  brought  to  this  mart  from  Europe  and 
the  United  States,  and  various  other  parts  of  the 
world ;  and  is  sold  by  representatives  of  almost  all 
the  commercial  nations,  Jews  and  Greeks.  The 
streets  are  a  Babel  of  strange  sounds ;  the  faces  of 
the  merchants  are  of  all  colors  ;  their  costumes  art;  a 
motley  of  all  styles  ;  but  their  occupation  is  one.  It 
is  to  get  money — to  be  rich — and,  at  the  same  time, 
to  live  luxuriously.  ISTo  town  in  England  can  possi- 


ST.  THOMAS.  379 

bly  be  so  shopkeeping,  nor  any  Yankee  population 
half  so  greedy  of  gain.  There  is  a  Spanish-Jew 
look  in  the  general  countenance,  which  makes  one 
desirous  of  curtailing  his  dealings  in  the  shops  and 
market  places,  and  even  of  bringing  to  as  speedy  a 
close  as  may  be  his  residence  in  the  town. 

Of  course,  there  must  be  many  individual  excep 
tions  to  this  prevailing  type  of  commercial  character. 
I  myself  was  personally  acquainted  with  merchants 
of  high  intelligence  and  liberal  sentiments.  And  it 
gives  me  pleasure  to  add,  that  one  of  the  principal 
apothecaries  of  the  town  was  a  man  learned  in  sci 
ence,  though  self-taught,  and  had  by  his  own  eiforts 
made  a  collection  of  objects  in  natural  history,  not 
surpassed,  if  equalled,  by  any  similar  collection  in  the 
West  Indies. 

There  was,  also,  one  noted  person  then  living  in 
St.  Thomas,  who  was  without  any  other  occupation 
than  that  of  seeking  his  own  pleasure.  This  was  the 
famous  Mexican  general,  Santa  Anna.  Residing  in  a 
spacious  house  on  one  of  the  heights  of  the  city,  and 
overlooking  the  entire  length  of  the  beautiful  har 
bor,  he  devoted  himself  exclusively  to  cock  fighting 
— or  rather,  he  had  done  so  until  just  before  the 
period  of  my  visit.  And  the  occasion  of  his  sud 
denly  throwing  up  his  occupation  was  sufficiently 
characteristic  of  West  Indian  manners.  The  hero 


380  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

with  one  leg  had  for  a  series  of  years  been  passion 
ately  addicted  to  fighting  cocks.  The  chanticleering 
of  vast  numbers  of  coops  was  music  to  his  ears.  He 
daily  promenaded  in  the  midst  of  his  birds,  ad 
miring  their  strut,  their  cropped  tails,  and  their 
haughty  challenging  of  each  other  to  the  fight ;  and 
when  Sunday  came,  he  went  into  the  pit  with  his 
pockets  full  of  doubloons.  So  he  lived  year  after 
year,  feeding  his  cocks,  and  fighting  all  comers.  But, 
at  last,  there  arrived  a  party  of  Spaniards  from  the 
island  of  Porto  Rico,  bringing  their  trained  cham 
pions  to  contend  with  him.  During  the  first  few 
days  they  lost,  for  the  most  part,  their  money  and 
their  birds ;  but  as  gradually  the  betting  began  to 
run  higher,  the  luck  began  to  turn  in  favor  of  the 
strangers.  Their  cocks  rapidly  improved  in  pluck 
and  vigor;  while  the  Mexican  Don's  heroes  showed 
a  disposition  to  turn  tail,  and  were  easily  floored. 
After  a  few  rounds,  in  fact,  they  fell  dead ;  and,  in 
consequence,  the  doubloons  all  passed  across  the  pit 
into  the  pockets  of  the  gay  fellows  from  Porto  Rico. 
What  was  the  meaning  of  all  this  ?  asked  the 
valiant  general,  as  he  saw  his  ounces  so  rapidly  leav 
ing  him.  To  his  great  disgust,  he  found,  on  inquiry, 
that  the  Spaniards'  cocks  had  the  feathers  of  their 
necks  poisoned  ;  so  that  their  opponents,  after  peck 
ing  at  them,  soon  became  affected  by  the  subtile 
venom,  and  were  easily  disabled. 


ST.  THOMAS.  381 

"  I'll  never  fight  another  cock  in  all  my  days !  " 
exclaimed  the  incensed  hidalgo.  He  thereupon 
kicked  every  Porto  Kican  out  of  sight  with  his 
wooden  foot,  and  straightway  shut  up  his  cockpit. 
Unluckily  for  him,  he  had  already  lost,  as  the  story 
went,  several  thousand  ounces. 

If  St.  Thomas  cannot  be  praised  for  anything  else, 
it  must  be  for  its  situation,  than  which  few  cities  can 
boast  a  fairer.  For  it  is  built  on  three  round  hills, 
of  about  equal  size,  which  rise  directly  from  the 
waterside  ;  and  from  this  triple  height  it  looks  down 
upon  a  harbor  extending  several  miles  in  nearly  a 
straight  course  out  to  sea.  Beautiful  in  its  natural 
features,  this  magnificent  sheet  of  wrater  is  always 
enlivened  by  the  white  sails  and  black  smoke  of  the 
coining  and  going  sea  craft.  Huge  steamers  and 
ships  of  war  ride  at  anchor  on  it ;  and  great  num 
bers  of  sail  and  rowboats  are  constantly  dancing 
over  its  blue  waters.  Behind  the  hills  on  which  the 
city  is  erected  rises,  at  a  little  distance,  a  background 
of  mountains  covered  with  vegetation.  Indeed,  so 
close  do  the  hills  come  down  to  the  sea  in  the  neigh 
borhood  of  the  town,  and  so  mountainous  is  the 
whole  surface  of  the  island,  that  the  inhabitants  pos 
sess  but  one  carriage  road,  a  few  short  miles  in 
length,  and  only  one  or  two  pleasant  promenades. 
Of  these  they  make  good  use  on  holidays,  but  are 
never  seen  on  them  when  the  shops  are  open. 


382  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

There  is  but  one  farm  on  the  island,  and  this  lies 
hid,  like  a  bird's  nest,  among  the  hills.  All  its 
products  and  supplies  are  transported  to  and  fro  on 
horse  or  mule  back.  The  mountains  stand  for  fences ; 
there  are  no  neighbors'  pigs  or  cattle,  hens  or  tur 
keys,  to  commit  trespass ;  no  outlying  squatters  to 
harvest  the  rightful  owner's  corn,  or  dig  his  potatoes 
in  the  night  time  ;  no  vagrant  boys  to  pilfer  his 
grapes  and  oranges.  The  occupant  of  such  an  estate 
might  lead  a  life  which,  in  uninterrupted  tranquillity, 
and  exemption  from  the  great  world's  annoyances, 
would  be  second  only  to  that  of  Robinson  Crusoe 
with  his  goats.  At  the  time  of  my  visit,  the  proprie 
tor,  like  a  Spaniard  as  he  was,  wished  to  dispose  of 
his  solitary  estate  by  lottery.  For  thirty  thousand 
dollars — I  think  that  was  the  sum — he  could  be  in 
duced  to  part  with  this  hill  property,  including  all  its 
furniture  and  equipage,  its  sheep,  and  COAVS,  and 
horses,  and  asses.  There  was  to  be  one  prize,  and  I 
know  not  how  many  thousand  blanks — say  fifteen. 
In  Spain,  all  things  are  liable  to  go  into  the  lottery 
box.  A  man  may  draw  anything  out  of  it.  except  it 
be  a  wife.  And  why  not,  then,  a  farm  in  the  moun 
tains  of  St.  Thomas  ?  I  have  never  heard  who — if, 
indeed,  the  scheme  did  not  fall  through — was  the  for 
tunate  holder  of  the  prize.  But  most  likely,  if  the 
proprietor  happened  to  have  a  few  tickets  left  un- 


ST.  THOMAS.  383 

sold,  as  he  naturally  would,  lie  must  have  been  the 
man  himself.  San  Fernando  !  if  I  could  only  put  all 
my  Spanish  castles  into  lotteries  !  One  need  not  be 
so  very  much  greater  a  fool  to  buy  the  tickets,  than 
to  jump  at  the  chance  of  those  of  a  farmer  on  the 
mountain  tops  of  St.  Thomas. 

One  would  naturally  suppose  that  a  city  thus  set 
on  a  hill  would  have  good  drainage,  and  be  endowed 
with  all  the  sanitary  virtues ;  but,  as  is  well  known, 
it  is  not  so  in  the  case  of  St.  Thomas.  The  thickly 
crammed  quarters  of  the  laboring  classes  are  rarely 
free  from  the  ravages  of  some  form  or  other  of  pesti 
lence.  Fever,  cholera,  and  smallpox  are  domesti 
cated  here  ;  and  often  extend,  also,  to  all  parts  of  the 
city.  Fair  as  it  appears  to  one  approaching  it  from 
the  sea,  St.  Thomas  is  but  an  apple  of  Sodom — full 
of  dead  men's  ashes. 

Nevertheless,  it  is  but  simple  justice  to  add,  that, 
hoAvever  much  I  had  heard  of  its  epidemics  before 
visiting  it,  when  there  I  neither  heard  nor  saw  any 
signs  of  them.  I  was  well  myself ;  while  the  indica 
tions  at  the  table  of  the  hotel  where  I  staid,  were 
that  all  the  guests  were  in  excellent  appetite.  In 
deed,  I  was  very  comfortable  in  the  great  inn  of  St. 
Thomas.  Its  piazza  could  hardly  have  been  cooler  if 
it  had  been  built  by  Moors  instead  of  Spaniards  ;  for 
it  possessed  ample  space,  an  open  colonnade,  and 


384  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

only  lacked  a  fountain  in  its  centre.  There  was  one 
in  fact,  in  a  small  garden  which  the  piazza  directly 
overlooked,  while,  beyond  this,  the  harbor  lay  so 
fully  exposed  to  view,  that,  while  sipping  their 
coffee,  or  smoking  their  cigars,  the  patrons  of  the 
house  beheld  near  by  the  active  movement  of  boats 
and  shipping.  Here  parties  could  sit  at  tea,  eat  ices, 
play  at  dominoes,  talk,  smoke  even,  all  without  inter 
fering  with  each  other  any  more  than  if  they  had 
been  seated  in  a  tea  garden  on  the  banks  of  the  Elbe 
or  the  Rhine.  In  hot  countries  space  is  the  chief  of 
the  architectural  virtues.  I  never  sat  down  in  the 
vast  dining  room  of  this  hotel  without  a  cool  sense 
of  satisfaction.  I  was  sure  of  a  bountiful  supply  of 
fresh  air,  whatever  else  might  fail  at  dinner ;  and 
that  was  certainly  better  than  an  extra  joint  and 
pudding.  Could  I  have  slept  in  a  bedchamber  of 
equal  dimensions,  I  might  perhaps  have  imagined 
that,  in  reaching  St.  Thomas,  I  had  arrived  at  that 
emporium  of  delights  which  the  dwellers  in  the 
neighboring  islands  fully  believe  it  to  be.  But,  alas  ! 
all  places  in  this  world  fall,  in  some  trifle  or  other, 
short  of  elysium. 


CHAPTER    XXXVI. 

The    Bermudas. 

IN  looking  on  the  map  of  the  world  along  a  line 
of  latitude  eastward  from  Charleston,  one  sees, 
far  off  in  the  mid-Atlantic,  five  or  six  little  dots. 
These  represent  the  Bermudas.  They  are  a  cluster 
of  small  islands  as  numerous  as  the  days  in  the  year 
— spots  of  land  surrounded  by  innumerable  waves 
and  boundless  wastes  of  ocean,  where  the  deep  bot 
tom  of  the  sea  has  come  up  to  take  breath  and  greet 
the  skies.  Points  of  light  are  they,  where  the  sun's 
rays  are  reflected  by  chalkstpne  and  sea  shells,  and 
the  still  brighter  habitations  of  men,  all  whitewashed 
even  to  the  roofs  ;  where  the  moon  and  stars  are 
mirrored  in  tiny  sheltered  bays,  more  placid  than  the 
ever-rolling  ocean  around ;  and  where  the  mariner, 
still  afar  off,  descries  wide  circles  of  flashing  foam, 
as  the  long  Atlantic  billows  surge  against  the  reefs 

of  coral,  which  on  all  sides  protect  these   solitary 
17 


386  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

isles  from  the  ravages  of  the  angry  main.  Like 
angels'  wings  the  breakers  flash  and  shine,  by  day 
and  by  night,  guarding  the  little  sunny  vales  that  lie 
nestling  within  their  magic  ring ;  nor  completely 
shutting  out  the  ships  which  seek  for  a  refuge  from 
the  buffetings  of  the  sea,  but  through  secure,  if  nar 
row  passages,  inviting  them  in  to  rest  in  peaceful 
havens,  and  oifering  to  famished  crews  their  laid-up 
stores,  and  the  fresh  fruits  of  the  land.  A  place  of 
refuge  in  the  midst  of  pathless  waters,  how  many  a 
shattered  bark,  since  the  day  when  Columbus  sailed 
the  sea,  has  sought  in  distress  these  hospitable  har 
bors  ;  how  many  an  anxious  mariner's  eyes  have 
strained  their  balls  to  discover  through  the  blackness 
of  tempest  and  hurricane  the  guiding  lights  of  Ham 
ilton  and  St.  George's  ;  how  many  land  birds,  driven 
off  their  course  by  gales,  and  exhausted  by  long 
flights  over  the  weary  waters,  have  folded  their 
wings  in  joy  and  peace  amid  the  succoring  branches 
of  these  cedar  trees  ! 

I  remember  it  as  one  of  the  most  charming 
drives  of  my  life,  when,  released  from  a  four  days' 
imprisonment  on  board  the  dirty,  though  stanch 
British  steamer  "  Merlin,"  a  Government  mail  packet 
running  between  St.  Thomas  and  Halifax,  via  Ber 
muda,  I  was  conveyed,  one  fine  April  day,  by  a 
sturdy  pair  of  grays,  leisurely  through  the  centre  of 


THE  BERMUDAS.  387 

these  islands.  The  road  was  a  continuous  curve. 
Now  it  wound  up  gentle  ascents ;  now  it  followed 
the  course  of  sinuous  valleys ;  here  it  made  a  turn 
about  a  ledge  of  rocks  ;  there  it  bent  around  the 
graceful  half  circles  of  the  shores.  But  most  of  the 
turns  were  short ;  so  that  the  way  was  full  of  sur 
prises.  At  times  I  was  in  the  midst  of  groves  of 
low-growing  cedars,  which  cover  most  of  the  higher 
grounds  of  the  islands  ;  then  I  descended  into  small 
valleys,  mere  dimples  on  the  surface  of  the  land, 
where  there  were  little  patches  of  cultivation  ;  then 
again  I  came  suddenly  upon  some  inland  bay,  where 
the  waves  of  the  ocean  were  reduced  to  ripples, 
which  broke  in  low  whispers  on  the  beaches.  Such 
lovely,  land-locked  bits  of  sea  water  were  they,  and 
green  as  liquid  emeralds — here  pale,  and  there  deep 
green,  according  as  the  depth  of  water  above  the 
coral  bottom  varied — sometimes  purple  even,  espe 
cially  where  the  prospect  opened  seaward,  half  re 
vealing  in  the  remote  distance  groups  of  islets,  now 
darkened  by  the  deep  shadows  of  passing  clouds, 
and  now  lit  up  by  the  returning  floods  of  light,  made 
doubly  effulgent  by  the  flashing  and  glimmer  of  the 
surrounding  waves.  To  the  silence  of  the  forest 
succeeded  quickly  the  murmur  of  the  sea.  From 
the  dark-green  foliage  of  the  cedars  the  eye  passed 
by  easy  gradation  to  the  green  of  shallow  waters, 


388  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

and  the  distant  blue  and  purple  of  the  deep.  The 
solitude  of  nature  was  interrupted  at  intervals  by  the 
wayside  cottages  of  the  small  farmers ;  and  espe 
cially,  on  approaching  the  town  of  Hamilton,  did  I 
frequently  come  upon  snug  little  villas,  embosomed 
in  trees,  and  shrubbery,  and  flowers.  The  hedge 
rows  were  composed  of  scarlet  geraniums,  and  ole 
anders,  and  pomegranates,  in  full  bloom.  Nearer  the 
town,  what  multitudes  of  roses  were  blowing  in 
every  garden,  and  climbing  over  the  cottage  walls ! 
The  very  air  was  rose  colored. 

But  neither  of  the  two  Bermudian  capitals,  St. 
George's  and  Hamilton,  are  particularly  noticeable  as 
towns.  Their  life  is  mostly  seafaring.  They  being 
built  directly  along  the  harbors,  the  vessels  come  up 
close  into  town,  their  bowsprits  projecting  over  some 
of  the  principal  streets,  and  their  masts  peering  over 
the  chimney  tops.  From  the  sidewalks  one  beholds 
the  sea-going  vessels  arriving  and  departing ;  the 
songs  of  the  sailors  ring  out  above  the  rattling  of 
the  carriage  wheels ;  and  gay  little  sail-boats  are  seen 
flying  with  birds'  wings  up  and  down  the  bays. 
Here  is  one  of  England's  famous  naval  establish 
ments  ;  so  that  the  streets  are  always  more  or  less 
filled  with  uniforms,  while  the  small  parlors  of  soci 
ety  are  crowded  with  epaulettes.  Even  the  convicts, 
of  whom,  there  is  here  a  large  colony  from  the 


THE  BERMUDAS.  389 

mother  country,  live  and  labor  in  huge  hulks — great 
invalided  sea  monsters,  which  lie  at  anchor  near  one 
of  the  islands.  When  the  commodore  of  the  sta 
tion,  which,  in  company  with  an  English  friend,  we 
were  inspecting,  politely  asked  us  to  luncheon,  we 
found  him  living  on  a  little  island  not  so  very  much 
larger  than  a  seventy-four  gun  ship.  Received  in  a 
drawing  room,  built  as  much  on  the  model  of  a 
ship's  cabin  as  of  anything  else,  we  were  served  by 
boys  in  sailor  shirts  and  jackets ;  and,  on  taking- 
leave,  were  sent  home  in  a  boat  which  lay  moored 
but  a  few  steps  from  the  door  of  the  mansion  house. 
But  I  remember  well  that,  in  spite  of  the  huge  round 
of  salted  beef  which  stood  on  one  end  of  the  table, 
as  red  as  the  face  of  the  brave  old  commodore  him 
self,  the  entertainment  had  the  pleasant  flavor  of  the 
land  about  it ;  and  I  was  especially  grateful  for  hav 
ing  the  taste  of  the  "  Merlin's "  sea  biscuit  taken 
out  of  my  mouth  by  the  April-grown  strawberries. 
Have  I  said  that  the  commodore's  face  was  red,  as  of 
one  who  had  faced  in  his  lifetime  many  a  breeze,  if 
not  a  battle  ?  Then  I  will  add  my  belief  that  his 
heart  was  full  of  good  red  English  blood  also — red 
der  than  his  beef  and  strawberries,  if  possible  ;  for 
he  showed  kindness  to  me,  who  wras  a  stranger ;  and, 
according  to  his  opportunity,  gave  proof  that  he  was 
endowed  with  that  fine  sense  of  hospitality  which  is 


390  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

so  generally  the  crowning  gift  and  grace  of  an  Eng 
lishman  in  his  own  home. 

The  Beramdians  are  not  always  following  the 
sea ;  but,  when  on  shore,  are  busy  raising  onions  and 
potatoes.  Generally,  sailors  make  poor  farmers  ;  yet 
here  they  succeed  in  producing  early  vegetables  in 
such  perfection,  that  it  is  to  be  feared  lest  the  Ber 
mudas,  instead  of  being  famed  as  the  oleander  isles, 
may  become  known  in  common  parlance  as  the 
spring  kitchen  garden  of  ISTew  York.  Certain  it  is 
that,  early  in  the  season,  the  Bermudian  brigs  and 
schooners,  all  built  of  red  cedar,  are  annually  setting 
off  for  the  "  States,"  laden  down  to  the  gunwale 
with  these  useful  fruits  of  the  soil.  A  certain 
amount  of  the  best  arrowroot  in  the  world  likewise 
forms  part  of  their  cargo.  The  soil  and  climate 
must  be  remarkably  adapted  to  the  cultivation  of 
these  products  ;  for  I  never  tasted,  in  any  other  part 
of  the  world,  vegetables  of  such  good  quality.  Na 
ture  excels  here,  not  in  trees,  for  the  cedars  are 
scrubby ;  nor  in  men  or  women,  for  the  best  of  these, 
as  wrell  as  the  worst,  are  imported  from  England; 
but  in  flowers,  and  especially  in  onions,  tomatoes, 
and  potatoes.  She  produces  the  latter  in  such  ex 
hausting  perfection,  that  they  are  incapable  of  per 
petuating  their  species  with  any  similar  degree  of 
excellence  ;  and  every  year  the  farmers  are  obliged 


THE  BERMUDAS.  391 

to  import  for  seed  our  own  "  Western  reds."  Import 
ed  in  the  body,  they  are  here  endowed  with  the  soul 
of  goodness.  So  the  most  luscious  pears  often  yield 
imperfect  seeds ;  and,  in  order  to  obtain  new  varie 
ties,  the  pomologists  raise  their  seedlings  from  some 
what  inferior  sorts,  in  the  production  of  which 
nature  stops  short  of  her  utmost  possibility  of  pulp. 

If  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  these  small-island 
ers  have  developed  any  great  degree  of  mechanical 
genius,  still  it  must  be  allowed  that  they  are  toler 
able  ship  builders.  To  be  sure,  the  old  English  hulks, 
which  lie  at  anchor  about  the  islands,  set  before  the 
eyes  of  the  ship  carpenter  a  sorry  lot  of  models ;  and 
sometimes,  as  I  was  told,  when  the  British  admiralty 
produces  some  naval  abortion,  like  their  first  iron 
clad  frigate,  they  send  it  to  the  Bermudas,  in  order 
to  have  it  moored  well  out  of  sight.  However,  the 
colonial  brigs  and  other  small  craft,  though  clumsy- 
looking  enough,  are  good  sailers,  and  manage  to  run 
over  to  New  York  with  their  potatoes  before  the  rot 
gets  into  them.  There  are  also  to  be  met  with  here 
a  few  cunning  artificers  in  cedar  wood,  who  out  of 
this  fair  and  pleasantly  scented  material  fabricate 
various  articles  of  furniture  and  the  toilette.  The 
delicate  palmetto  work  of  female  artists,  likewise,  is 
to  be  set  down  to  the  credit  of  the  colonists ;  for 
their  skilful  fingers  weave  the  prettiest  oi  baskets, 


392  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

and  the  lightest  and  jauntiest  of  hats  and  bonnets. 
As  the  convicts  are  not  allowed  the  freedom  of  fol 
lowing  the  seas  in  their  penitentiary  hulks,  they,  too, 
contrive  to  relieve  the  monotony  of  life  by  occasion 
ally  working  in  the  petrified  water  which  is  found  in 
the  stalactite  caves  of  the  islands,  and  from  which 
they  manufacture  very  pretty  brooches,  and  other 
ornaments.  Loafers  permitted  to  go  at  large  some 
times  search  the  shores  for  a  species  of  seaweed, 
which,  after  it  has  been  buried  in  the  sand  long 
enough  to  get  rid  of  the  congealed  salt  water  with 
which  it  is  incrusted,  they  make  a  fanciful  kind  of 
riding  whips.  The  stranger  is  expected  to  make 
small  investments  in  all  these  specimens  of  handi 
craft — to  say  nothing  of  his  bags  of  potatoes,  strings 
of  onions,  boxes  of  tomatoes,  and  bottles  of  arrow 
root. 

In  Hamilton  I  found  two  or  three  of  my  country 
men,  eating  their  potatoes,  and  recruiting  their 
health.  But  I  do  not  think  the  climate  can  be 
recommended  for  invalids  at  any  season  of  the  year, 
excepting,  perhaps,  the  spring.  In  summer,  the 
south  winds  too  much  prevail,  bringing  intense  heat, 
accompanied  with  humidity — a  sultry,  stifling  atmos 
phere — and,  consequently,  both  languor  of  body  and 
depression  of  mind.  In  winter,  the  weather  is  chilly 
and  variable.  The  Bermudas  are  then  the  vexed 


THE  BERMUDAS.  393 

Bermoothes  of  the  poet.  For  the  winds  then  course 
after  each  other  around  these  islands  as  a  goal ;  while 
they  breathe  out  of  their  nostrils  dire  mists  and  va 
pors.  The  atmosphere  is  so  constantly  charged  with 
humidity,  that  the  inner  house  walls  emit  a  cold  per 
spiration  worse  even  than  the  stone  walls  of  Paris. 
The  paper  hangings  are  discolored ;  articles  of  dress 
mould  as  in  a  ship's  cabin ;  the  inhabitants  live  in  a 
perpetual  vapor  bath,  and  one  which  is  as  much  too 
cold  for  comfort  as  that  of  the  Grand  Turk  is  too 
hot.  Unhappily,  there  is  but  little  fuel  in  the  islands 
wherewith  to  repel  the  cold  and  dampness  ;  for  there 
is  no  coal,  and  but  a  moderate  supply  of  wood.  The 
natives,  of  course,  fight  out  the  battle  of  the  winter 
as  best  they  can  with  flannel  and  strong  beer ;  but 
valetudinarians  of  other  lands  should  leave  them  to 
do  it  alone. 

And  yet  it  may  seem  almost  ungenerous  in  me  to 
write  in  such  disparaging  terms  of  a  climate  which 
to  myself  was  so  agreeable.  The  few  days  of  my 
sojourn  in — shall  I  call  them  the  oleander,  or  the 
rose  islands  ? — were  days  without  stain  or  blemish. 
Coming  from  the  tropics,  to  me  the  coolness  of  this 
more  northern  atmosphere  was  more  exhilarating 
than  could  have  been  any  tonic  from  the  doctors' 
shops.  I  felt  refreshed  and  invigorated  by  breathing 
this  air,  as  one  does  after  taking  a  cold  bath.  From 
17* 


394  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

morning  until  evening  the  sun  shone  out  of  a  clear 
blue  sky,  with  only  occasional  white  clouds  floating 
through  it,  and  happily  tempered  by  its  genial  heat 
the  sharp  coolness  of  the  sea  air  in  spring  time. 
During  the  period  of  my  visit,  all  the  vexing  winds 
had  withdrawn  to  their  caves — probably  the  remark 
able  stalactite  caves  which  exist  in  some  of  these 
islands.  Only  the  zephyrs  were  at  large,  gambolling 
on  the  water,  and  frolicking  among  the  cedar  trees ; 
while  Boreas  and  his  dire  crew  kept  their  secret 
orgies  far  under  ground.  The  mornings  and  even 
ings  were  perfectly  calm  ;  and  at  midday  the  faint 
breezes  served  only  to  waft  through  open  doors  the 
fragrance  of  flowers  blooming  in  the  fields  and  gar 
dens. 

I  recollect  with  special  pleasure  the  beautiful  calm 
of  the  Sunday  morning  after  my  arrival.  IxTo  Sun 
day  could  be  more  sabbatical,  more  hushed,  more  full 
of  heavenly  light,  or  pervaded  with  a  more  genial 
warmth.  As  I  walked  out  under  the  thick  cypress 
trees,  and  along  the  roadside,  the  silence  of  the 
morning  was  broken  by  no  noise  of  business,  or  even 
sounds  in  nature.  ISTot  even  a  cow  lowed,  nor  a  dog 
barked,  nor  a  cock  crowed,  nor  hardly  a  cricket  or  a 
grasshopper  chirruped. 

Here  and  there,  the  dark  thickets  were  lighted  up 
by  the  flash  of  a  cardinal  grosbeak,  which  uttered  a 


THE  BERMUDAS.  395 

carol  or  two,  and  then  was  still  again.  The  red 
breast  now  and  then  added  a  few  melodious  notes  to 
its  early  morning  song ;  and  the  gorgeous  bits  of 
humming  birds  made,  occasionally,  a  low  murmur  in 
the  hedges.  Otherwise,  nature  lay  as  silent  as  if 
entranced;  while  the  most  brilliant  sunlight  bathed 
all  the  isles  of  cedar,  checkering  the  ground  beneath 
them  with  sharp  contrasts  of  light  and  shade,  and 
spread  its  gilding  over  the  circumambient  waters  and 
the  coral  shores. 

If  every  day  in  the  Bermudas  were  like  this,  men, 
whether  invalid  or  robust,  would  be  attracted  to 
them  as  formerly  to  the  Happy  Islands  of  ancient 
fable  ;  and  I  am  glad  to  be  able  to  bear  witness  that 
there  may  be  such  in  the  month  of  April. 


CHAPTER    XXXVIL 

Gape    Cod. 

THERE  is  always  a  second  summer  in  the 
American  year.  When  the  September  gales 
have  swept  over  the  woods,  and  shaken  the  first 
leaves  of  autumn  to  the  ground ;  when  from  the  gar 
dens  the  more  delicate  buds  and  fragrant  blossoms 
have  passed  away ;  when  the  earlier  fruits  have 
ripened  and  been  gathered ;  when  evening  begins 
sooner  to  draw  the  curtains  of  the  day,  and  the  sun's 
horses  start  later  on  their  morning  courses  ;  when 
the  pleasure  parties  of  the  season  are  breaking  up, 
and  words  of  farewell  are  being  said,  and  over  the 
most  buoyant  mind  a  certain  pensiveness  steals,  and 
regrets  fall  upon  it  as  from  out  the  autumnal  air, 
then  the  year,  which  had  begun  to  withdraw  its  face, 
turns  again  with  a  parting  smile,  and  kisses  its  hand 
to  us.  Then  comes  a  succession  of  golden  days, 
when  the  air  is  still,  and  the  heavens,  slightly  veiled 


CAPE  COD.  397 

with  purple  haze,  are  without  a  cloud.  The  autum 
nal  flowers  are  arrayed  in  all  their  glory.  The  or 
chards  yield  up  their  red-sided,  gold-colored  apples 
for  the  winter's  store.  The  grapes  are  turned  to 
purple.  The  latest  pears  melt  upon  the  devouring 
lips,  and  the  last  drops  of  sweetness  are  being  dis 
tilled  into  the  yet  unplucked  peaches.  Now  the  dili 
gent  housewife  gathers  from  out  the  leaves,  still 
green,  the  yellow,  shining  quince,  and,  correcting  its 
tart  juices  with  melted  sugar,  lays  it  by  for  winter 
tea  drinkings.  The  farmer  husks  his  corn,  making 
the  greensward  shine  with  the  long,  broad  line  of 
glittering  ears.  He  piles  up,  also,  the  yellow  pump 
kins,  or  hangs  the  squashes  against  the  wall,  by  their 
necks.  His  boys  bring  home  at  night  the  cows  from 
still  green  and  thickly  matted  meadows,  with  udders 
wide  distended.  The  poultry  yards  are  full  of  cack 
ling,  and  youthful  attempts  at  chanticleering.  Fleets 
of  geese  and  clucks  float  down  the  brooks,  or  lie 
moored  on  the  ponds  ;  and  the  half-grown  turkey 
cocks  gabble,  and  spread  their  tails  over  vast  spaces 
of  yard  and  pasture.  This  season  is  the  mellowing 
of  the  year.  In  sunny  European  lands,  and  beneath 
sacred  Oriental  skies,  the  grapes  are  now  trodden  in 
the  winepress  ;  and  even  in  our  own  "New  Jersey, 
the  bounty  of  nature  runs  to  sweet  cider.  The  earth 
has  put  forth  her  great  productive  power,  and  re- 


398  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

joices  as  a  woman  after  childb earing ;  the  sun  has 
done  his  year's  work,  and  ripened  all  seeds  and 
grains ;  there  is  food  garnered  up  for  man  and  beast ; 
and  the  great  God  seems  to  look  down  out  of  heaven 
upon  what  He  hath  wrought,  and  pronounce  it  good. 
It  is  a  season  to  be  enjoyed  as  one  does  old  wine. 
As  we  bring  this  out  of  the  cellar  on  high  festal 
occasions,  to  celebrate  the  rite  matrimonial,  or  to 
honor  the  anniversary  of  a  birthday,  to  greet  the 
coming  of  long-absent  friends,  and  freshen  the  memo 
ries  which  run  far  back  to  days  of  "  auld  lang 
syne ; "  so  this  brief  second  summer  of  the  year 
should  be  filled  up  with  unusual  joys.  Then  make  a 
holiday.  Then  telegraph  to  your  best  friend  to  come 
with  wife  and  child.  Let  boys  and  girls  be  let  loose 
from  school,  that  they  may  go  a-nutting.  Let  there 
be  picnics  in  the  glens  and  on  the  hillsides.  Climb 
the  mountains.  Coast  the  shores.  'Tis  the  hunter's 
moon,  and  you  may  follow  the  path  of  the  buck  and 
the  doe,  or  hey  on  pointer  or  setter.  You  see  the 
breaking  of  day  as  you  go  on  your  way  to  lie  for 
wild  fowl,  which,  when  it  is  yet  dark,  fly  overhead 
with  whistling  wings  ;  while  far  off  is  heard  the 
scream  of  the  coming  wild  geese.  Now  let  the  reel 
hiss,  as  the  line  is  cast  from  the  rocks  for  tautog.  It 
is  the  season,  also,  for  bass  fishing.  Now  let  the 
lover  of  nature  and  mushrooms  prevent  the  sun,  and 


CAPE  COD.  399 

gather  his  breakfast  with  the  dew  on  it.  Let  all 
men — all  Yankees — eat  pumpkin  pie.  The  full  moon 
favors  husking  by  night ;  and  he  who  finds  brindled 
ears  may  kiss  his  partner,  though  he  may  no  longer 
drink  milk  punch,  for  it  is  contrary  to  law.  Now  is 
"  training  "  time  ;  and  there  will  be  cakes  at  the  mus 
ter  for  old  and  young — and,  surely,  pop  beer.  Now 
pack  into  country  wagons,  three  on  a  seat.  At  morn 
ing,  wind  the  horn,  and  let  the  hounds  bay.  At 
night,  draw  the  bow,  dance,  sing,  and  make  merry, 
giving  God  thanks  ;  for  this  glorious  second  summer, 
called  Indian,  is  given  us  but  for  seven  days,  or  it 
may  be  ten.  Then  get  quickly  out  of  doors — be 
off — and  caps  in  the  air  ! 

Happy  harvest  days  !  and  happily  did  I  spend 
them,  ankle  deep  in  thy  golden  sands,  Cape  Cod  ! 

Perhaps  I  should  have  done  better  still  to  have 
gone  in  rough  weather.  The  scene  here,  doubtless, 
is  more  characteristic  when  nature  frowns,  than  when 
she  smiles.  For  the  Cape  is  decidedly  tragic.  Its 
great  mood  is  when  nature  is  angry,  and  all  her  ele 
ments  are  at  war.  When  the  east  wind  is  rising  out 
of  the  sea,  and  the  pine  woods  begin  to  sigh  for 
pain ;  when  the  ocean,  fretted  to  madness  by  the 
gale,  lashes  the  long  sandy  beaches,  and  breaks  high 
over  the  rocks  on  the  shore  ;  when  the  drift  sand 
flies  like  snowflakes,  and  the  whirlwinds,  in  their 


400  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

rough  play,  bear  it  aloft  in  the  air ;  when  the  rain, 
bursting  the  clouds,  contends  in  its  turn  with  both 
winds  and  waves,  and  beats  them  down ;  when,  in 
winter,  the  sharp  sleet  cuts  the  air,  and  the  snow- 
blast  shuts  oift  the  light  of  heaven,  and  night,  set 
ting  in,  adds  the  terrors  of  utter  darkness  to  those 
of  the  storm,  and  the  signal  gun  of  the  East  India- 
man,  drifting  upon  the  leeshore — a  few  hours  before 
so  near  the  wished-for  haven — is  heard  faintly  boom 
ing  through  the  uproar  of  the  elements,  and  vainly 
calling  upon  the  wrecker,  who  sits  idle  by  his  blazing 
fireside,  pitying  the  poor  souls  whose  imaginary  cries 
ring  in  his  ears,  but  whom  he  cannot  save  from  the 
jaws  of  the  devouring  waves.  For  no  mortal  arm 
can  stay  the  implacable  wrath  of  the  Almighty  when 
He  bids  the  sea  roar,  and  engulf  in  its  depths  the 
impious  mariner  and  his  ship.  Then  the  traveller,  on 
this  long  arm  of  sand  vainly  stretched  out  to  em 
brace  the  unwilling,  untamable  ocean,  and  marry  it 
in  loving  wedlock  to  the  land,  sees  and  feels  what 
Cape  Cod  is.  With  awe  he  hears  the  sublime  moaii- 
ing  of  the  long,  flat  beaches,  and  the  more  angry 
resounding  of  the  coast,  where  it  is  bolder,  and 
rocky.  The  north  shore  answers  with  its  uproar  to 
the  uproar  of  the  south.  As,  at  sea,  the  wind  whis 
tles  and  sings  in  the  cordage  of  the  scudding  ship  to 
the  deep  bass  of  the  roaring  waves,  so,  here,  the 


CAPE  COD.  401 

Lowling  of  the  winds  among  the  branches  of  the 
oaks,  and  the  loud  lament  of  the  pine  woods,  are 
added  to  the  bellowing  of  the  strands.  How  weak 
does  man  appear  when  tossed  on  these  waves  !  Yet 
how  strong,  when,  in  his  snug  cot  on  the  shore,  he 
sits  reading  by  the  unflickering  candle,  and  heeds  not 
either  the  outcries  of  nature  or  the  wrath  of  God ! 

But,  at  the  period  of  my  visit,  the  stormy  Cape 
was  lying  as  calm  and  placid  in  the  midst  of  the  sea, 
as,  in  midsummer,  rise  the  round  tops  of  the  Alle- 
ghanies  in  the  untroubled  southern  heavens.  The 
sun  looked  with  warm,  enamored  beams  upon  the 
bosom  of  the  earth ;  the  winds  lay  reposing  in  the 
depths  of  the  pine  woods,  scarcely  breathing  audi 
bly  ;  and  the  tired  waves  slept  on  the  shore.  At 
evening,  as  the  full,  round  moon  rose  from  the  Atlan 
tic,  it  spread  out  a  level,  silvery  carpet  to  the  hori 
zon,  almost  tempting  the  beholder  to  walk  forth  on 
the  high  sea ;  as,  on  solemn  festal  occasions,  the 
gold-spangled  tapestry  invites  the  feet  of  the  guests 
who  go  up  into  the  lighted  palaces  of  kings.  And 
all  night  long,  when  at  intervals  I  awoke  out  of  my 
dreams,  I  heard,  at  the  distance  of  a  stone's  throw, 
the  innumerable  ripples  breaking  on  the  sand,  as  if 
the  uxorious  old  ocean  were  kissing,  even  in  his 
sleep,  the  softly  breathing  lips  of  the  shore.  At 
midnight,  I  arose  from  my  bed,  and  walked  out  into 


402  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

the  air,  feeling  an  irrepressible  curiosity  to  listen  to 
the  whispering  of  the  night  winds,  and  overhear  the 
telling  of  their  secret  loves.  I  beheld,  also,  the 
dance  of  the  waves,  which  were  keeping  up  their 
revelry  beneath  the  light  of  the  moon,  tripping  it  as 
gracefully  as  fairies  on  the  greensward,  and  quickly 
dissolving  in  mutual  embraces,  like  hearts  in  the 
joined  breasts  of  lovers.  Plow  refreshing  and 
wholesome  was  the  salt  in  the  air  from  the  ocean ! 
"  There  can  no  malignant  spirit  or  goblin  walk  this 
strip  of  earth,"  said  I,  returning  to  my  couch ;  "  the 
air  is  too  pure."  And,  indeed,  it  can  scarcely  be 
credited  that  a  real,  bona-fide  ghost  was  ever  seen 
on  Cape  Cod.  There  are  Quakers  here,  but  no 
witches.  It  is  not  possible. 

But  by  day  my  eyes  feasted,  through  all  the 
hours,  on  the  richly  colored  autumnal  landscape. 
Here  stretch,  for  miles  beyond  miles,  the  salt  mead 
ows  of  Barnstable,  watered  not  by  rains  and  dews 
only,  but  by  the  monthly  flowing  of  the  tides ;  and 
these  level  tracts  are  now  as  tawny  as  the  lion's  skin. 
This,  likewise,  being  the  season  when  the  pine  trees 
shed  their  needles,  the  earth  beneath  them  is  no  less 
tawny  than  the  open  marshes.  And  everywhere  the 
sand  of  the  shore  is  as  yellow  as  the  breast  of  a 
robin.  In  the  warm  rays  of  the  sun  it  even  shines 
like  beaten  gold,  making  the  whole  Cape  gilt-edged. 


CAPE  COD.  403 

But  on  the  uplands,  the  yellow  runs  into  a  russet,  a 
richly  tinted  brown,  and  forms  a  background  which 
is  covered  with  a  glory  of  autumnal  tints,  the  purple 
of  oaks  and  whortleberry  bushes,  the  orange  and 
scarlet  of  maples,  the  green  of  pines  and  cedars. 
There  is  color  everywhere — on  the  fields  and  trees  ; 
on  the  meadows  and  the  shores  ;  in  the  hollows  and 
around  the  edges  of  pools.  ~Not  a  bush  but  glows, 
not  a  stone  but  shines.  The  very  particles  of  sand, 
if  closely  inspected,  flash  like  diamonds  by  candle 
light  ;  and,  though  held  in  your  hand,  seem  almost 
as  far  off  and  as  glittering  as  the  stars  in  the  blue 
twilight  of  the  night.  And  these  colors  are  all 
dashed  together — a  beautiful  variety  in  unity — mak 
ing  a  kaleidoscope  in  the  eyes  of  every  man.  Still, 
it  must  be  acknowledged  that,  as  one  proceeds  far 
ther  upon  the  Cape,  he  notices  a  gradual  falling  off 
in  the  tone  of  nature's  coloring,  as  old  pictures  in 
travelling  down  the  course  of  time  lose,  during  each 
century,  more  and  more  of  their  first  blush  and  gor- 
geousness.  The  brilliancy  of  the  reds  and  purples 
fades,  and  the  browns  grow  duller.  Even  the  fine 
gold  of  the  pumpkins  becomes  tarnished;  the  color 
of  animals  runs  to  sorrel ;  and  the  habitations  of 
man,  partaking  of  the  tendency  of  nature,  show  only 
the  unpainted  gray,  or  the  stains  of  the  original  red 
and  green,  or  the  blank  white  of  modern  fashion, 


404  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

which  makes  the  pupils  of  the  eye  instinctively  con 
tract  to  look  at  it.  There  is  evidently  a  deficiency 
of  coloring  materials  on  the  great  painter's  easel ; 
and,  at  last,  whether  the  power  of  nature  be  dimin- 
ished,  or  this  part  of  her  work  be  yet  raw  and  unfin 
ished,  there  remain  only  the  green  of  the  pines  and 
the  yellow  of  the  sands,  wherein  is  no  harmony. 

And  yet  there  is  a  notable  exception  to  this  law 
of  gradual  fading.  There  is  more  red  in  the  face  of 
the  Cape  Codders,  all  the  way  down  to  Province- 
town,  than  of  any  other  people  in  the  States.  It  is 
the  old  English  red — blood-red.  Though  the  skin  be 
generally  pretty  thoroughly  sunburnt,  bronzed  often 
by  the  glare  from  the  salt  water,  yet  the  vermilion 
shines  through,  giving  evidence  of  good  blood  and 
vigorous  arteries.  The  race  is,  indeed,  purely  Brit 
ish.  For  the  inhabitants  are  all  direct  descendants 
of  the  Puritans,  or,  at  least,  of  early  emigrants  from 
Great  Britain.  There  has  been  no  mixture  of  races 
here.  While  the  Cape  has  always  been  a  fruitful 
w^omb  of  men,  sending  her  sons  out  into  all  the 
broad  American  earth,  there  has,  on  the  contrary, 
been  no  reflex  tide  of  immigration.  The  Cape, 
therefore,  is  all  of  one  blood,  of  one  face,  of  one 
speech,  of  one  homogeneous  heart.  True,  there  are 
Indians  still  in  Marshpee ;  but  are  they  not  also  red 
men  ?  Their  faces  are,  indeed,  not  a  little  smutted 


CAPE  COD.  405 

by  a  dash  of  negro  blood  in  them ;  but  some,  fortu 
nately,  still  show  the  reddish  glitter  of  the  original 
copper.  At  least,  they  are  not  pale  faced,  but  high 
colored,  and  come  not  without  a  degree  of  grace  into 
the  autumnal  landscape. 

And  this  red-facedness  of  the  people  is  a  great 
point  in  the  description  of  Cape  Cod.  For,  while 
the  earth  gradually  loses  its  color  and  all  its  signs  of 
vigor,  as  we  travel  toward  the  end  of  his  path  in  the 
sands,  we  see  that  the  lord  of  nature,  on  the  con 
trary,  remains  ruddy  and  strong  featured.  Neither 
the  weakness  of  the  land,  nor  the  extraordinary 
strength  of  the  circumambient  waters  and  winds  has 
been  able  to  produce  degeneracy  of  the  race  of  man. 
He  has  buffeted  the  waves,  and  overmastered  them. 
He  has  sailed  in  the  very  eyes  and  teeth  of  the 
winds.  He  has  fixed  the  floating  sands,  by  planting 
them  with  beach  grass ;  has  sown  the  pine  trees  in 
furrows  ;  has  set  oaks  on  the  hilltops,  that  when  the 
winds,  rising  in  their  might,  threaten  to  tear  him 
from  the  land,  he  may  have  something  to  hold  on  to  ; 
has  planted  the  barren  shore  with  Indian  corn,  put 
ting  a  dead  "  horse  foot "  in  every  hill ;  has  grown 
potatoes  from  seaweed  down  to  the  very  line  of  high- 
water  mark ;  has  turned  the  mud  of  flats  to  oysters  ; 
has  dried  the  cod  from  the  great  deep  into  codfish ; 
and,  finally,  has  manufactured  the  sea  itself  into  salt. 


406  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

Thus  has  man  made  himself  master ;  and  though,  in 
struggling  with  the  earth  to  till  it,  he  has  sometimes 
come'  upon  his  hip,  like  Jacob  wrestling  with  the 
angel,  and  though  he  has  often  been  pinched  by  the 
wind,  and  jammed  against  the  leeward  shore,  yet, 
after  all,  he  has  fought  the  lifelong  battle  with  the 
natural  elements  triumphantly,  and  still  hangs  out  his 
flag  of  victory  in  the  red  of  his  face. 

The  Cape  Codder  is  hardy  and  vigorous,  and  may 
emphatically  be  said  to  be  a  self-made  man — external 
nature  having  done  so  little  for  him.  If  the  bone  of 
this  young  country  may  be  considered  as  yet  some 
what  in  the  gristle,  it  is  not  so  with  that  of  this 
Cape.  Its  bone  is  mature,  and  its  muscle,  also,  is  as 
hard  as  rope's  end  and  bowline.  Oft  pelted  by 
storms  and  riddled  by  gales ;  now  buried  in  snow 
banks,  and  never  quite  sure  of  his  footing  in  the 
sands ;  now  petrified  by  east  winds  fresh  from 
Greenland  and  the  ice  islands,  and  then,  in  hot  sum 
mer  days,  when  there  is  not  a  breath  of  air  to  break 
the  glazed  surface  of  the  surrounding  ocean,  baked 
as  if  he  w^ere  an  ostrich  egg ;  obliged  constantly  to 
harass  the  surface  of  the  earth,  in  order  to  extort 
from  it  even  a  niggardly  increase  ;  and,  finally, 
driven  in  despair  to  the  wall  of  the  sea,  arid  in 
straits  compelled  to  sound  the  depths  of  the  ocean 
with  line,  hook,  and  sinker,  and  to  vex  its  surface 


CAPE  COD.  407 

with  his  keels,  the  Cape  Cod  man  has  to  fight  his 
way  through  existence  as  a  gladiator  his  way  out  of 
the  ring.  Of  course,  the  feebler  children  die  early ; 
but  the  grown  man  is  all  thews  and  sinews.  His 
nerves  are  of  whalebone,  and  his  skin  will  keep  out 
water  like  oakum. 

But  wThile  this  hardness  of  nature  seems  only  to 
develop  a  superior  hardness  in  the  frame  of  man,  all 
lower  animals  are  ground  down  in  the  face  against 
it.  I  saw  but  few  of  them  anywhere,  and  these 
mostly  stunted.  Scarcely  a  dog  yelped  at  me  from 
one  end  of  the  Cape  to  the  other ;  for  dogs  do  not 
thrive  well  on  fish ;  and,  besides,  the  waves  are  there 
to  do  the  barking.  But  one  would  suppose  it  a  very 
paradise  for  cats  ;  yet,  as  there  are  no  mice  but  water 
rats,  so  all  the  cats  are  catfish.  And,  accordingly,  in 
all  my  lying  awake  to  listen  to  the  vespers  which  the 
waves  on  the  beaches  chanted  through  the  livelong 
hours  of  the  night,  I  heard  not  a  single  charivari. 
Sailors,  too,  are  notoriously  hard  on  horses ;  and 
drift  sand,  like  Jordan,  makes  a  hard  road  to  travel. 
Shanghae  fowls  do  not  thrive  well  here.  Their  tails 
do  not  grow,  and  they  become  so  stupid  as  scarcely  to 
know  how  to  set  one  foot  before  the  other ;  making 
awkward,  uncertain  movements,  as  if  they  were  on 
stilts,  or  even  walking  on  their  own  eggs.  At  the 
cattle  show  in  the  county  town  where  I  happened  to 


408  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

be  present,  the  native  breeds  were  all  inferior. 
Whatever  was  big  and  fat  was  foreign  born,  or,  at 
least,  of  blood  not  strictly  Capish.  Such  was  their 
great  Ayrshire  bull — as  huge  a  monster  as  the  Trojan 
horse,  or  the  whale  which,  in  attempting  to  jump 
the  Cape,  landed  himself,  with  all  his  tusks  and  blub 
ber,  high  and  dry  on  the  sands.  All  the  fat  pigs 
were  Lady  Suffolks ;  all  the  battering  rams  were 
Southdowns ;  and  all  the  hens  that  laid  golden  eggs 
were  born  Poles.  In  fact,  the  only  native  animals  at 
all  worth  the  showing  were  the  men  themselves. 
One  in  particular  there  was  at  the  ploughing  match, 
who  reminded  me  of  that  Triptolemus  of  Eleusis,  to 
whom,  first  of  mortals,  Ceres  taught  the  use  of  the 
plough.  Cincinnatus  himself  could  not  have  bent 
over  the  tails  with  broader  shoulders,  nor  a  nose 
more  truly  Roman.  Between  his  legs  and  the  length 
of  his  furrows  there  was  a  certain  correspondence. 
When  standing  upright,  he  cast  a  shadow  over  half 
the  scene,  and  dwarfed  the  oxen  before  him  till  they 
looked  scarcely  bigger  than  rats. 

The  inhabitants  of  this  ridge  of  drift  sand  are 
remarkably  thrifty.  One  sees  nowhere  indications 
of  extreme  destitution.  But  while  most  of  the  peo 
ple  are  independent  in  their  circumstances,  there  is 
not  much  wealth,  and  no  show  of  it.  The  Grecian 
column  will,  indeed,  follow  the  traveller  all  the  way 


CAPE  COD.  409 

down  the  Cape,  though  Greece  may  seem  farther  off 
than  ever;  nor  can  all  the  window  blinds  on  the 
houses  make  the  place  appear  in  the  least  degree  like 
Venice.  Here  he  will  see  a  Doric  entablature  pierced 
by  five  small  windows,  and  there  a  court  house  in  the 
form  of  an  antique  temple,  but  with  its  roof  bristling 
with  half  a  dozen  stacks  of  tall  Yankee  chimneys. 
Yet  this  show  of  Grecian  architecture,  if  it  does  not 
always  indicate  good  taste,  is  a  certain  sign  of  thrift. 
The  man  who  builds  his  house  with  a  front  like  an 
Athenian  temple,  is  sure  to  be  a  financially  success 
ful  one,  and,  generally,  a  man  who  has  earned  his 
own  money ;  for  they  who  inherit  fortunes,  being 
often  travelled  men,  or  cultivated  by  some  consider 
able  amount  of  reading,  know  that  the  public  edi 
fices  of  the  old  Greeks  do  not  suit  the  purpose  of 
our  modern  housekeeping.  Thus,  every  successful 
captain  of  a  ship  who  comes  home  to  build  a  house 
in  the  sands,  must  have  Grecian  pillars.  He  has  got 
the  money,  and  he  will  have  a  cottage  front  like  the 
Parthenon.  Nothing  can  stop  him. 

But  the  thrift  of  Cape  Cod  is  not  of  that  kind 
which  follows  fawning.  Here  dwells  evidently  an 
independent  race  of  men,  and  all  living  at  arm's 
length  of  each  other.  Even  in  the  towns  the  houses 
do  not  touch,  but  stand  apart.  Every  one  has  its 

separate  enclosure,  with  plot  of  greensward,  orchard, 

18 


410  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

and  garden  patch.  House  and  grounds  form  a  dis 
tinct  and  independent  establishment,  leaning  on  no 
other  for  its  support ;  and  though,  unfortunately, 
there  are  no  plank  roads  in  these  sands,  yet  every 
front  door  is  approached  from  the  street  by  a  plank 
pathway.  Nor  do  these  people  generally  occupy  the 
whole  of  their  houses.  They  have  vacant  apart 
ments,  though  none  to  let.  The  front  rooms  are  all 
furnished,  and  shut  up.  The  family  live  in  the 
kitchen.  And  they  can  afford  to  do  so  ;  for  the  back 
part  of  the  house  is  large  enough  to  accommodate 
all  the  members,  while  the  other  half  is  kept  as 
neat  as  wax,  for  tea  drinkings,  and  the  use  of  com 
pany.  Hence,  the  stranger  who  goes  stumbling 
through  the  unlighted  streets  at  night,  may  fancy 
himself  in  a  Turkish  town,  or  an  aoul  of  the  Circas 
sians.  He  can  no  more  descry  the  light  of  a  candle 
than  if  he  were  in  the  centre  of  Ethiopia.  Accord 
ingly,  to  stir  much  abroad  after  nightfall  in  these 
streets  filled  with  painted  wooden  posts,  is  to  set 
mantraps  for  one's  self,  and  present  the  very,  sorest 
temptations  to  Providence.  For,  inevitably,  at  this 
corner  you  bark  your  shins  ;  at  that,  you  break  your 
neck.  A  Chinese  lantern  here  w^ould  not  be  an  un 
meaning  joke.  Still,  every  native,  doubtless,  knows 
the  way  to  his  habitation  in  the  darkest  night,  as  well 
as  a  bee  to  its  cell  in  the  hive. 


CAPE  COD.  4H 

And  no  Spaniard  goes  to  bed  earlier.  He  does 
his  work  by  daylight,  and  economizes  candles.  All 
his  habits  are  simple  and  natural.  He  dines  on  the 
stroke  of  noon.  He  takes  his  tea — rather  weak — at 
the  hour  when  the  merchant  in  the  city  sits  down  to 
dinner ;  and  he  gets  up  in  the  morning  just  as  the 
town  snob  is  going  to  bed.  His  fare,  too,  is  simple  : 
at  breakfast,  fish  ;  at  dinner,  fish — fish  fried,  broiled, 
boiled,  baked,  and  chowdered !  Though,  probably, 
there  is  not  one  housewife  in  ten  that  has  not  a  pie, 
or  a  loaf  of  cake,  stowed  away  somewhere.  And 
you  shall  nowhere  eat  such  delectable  "  apple 
slump  ; "  nowhere  such  doughnuts,  scarcely  even  in 
Connecticut ;  nowhere  such  baked  clams,  out  of 
Rhode  Island  and  Providence  Plantations.  There  is, 
also,  a  love  of  junketing  and  tea  drinking,  when 
neighbors  come  together  in  winter  evenings,  and 
when  lassies  assemble  of  an  afternoon  at  a  "  quilt 
ing,"  making  the  bridal  bedspread  with  innumerable 
stitches,  and  squares  of  white  calico,  upon  each  of 
which  is  written,  in  indelible  ink,  the  name  of  the 
fair  sempstress  who  presented  it.  On  these  occasions 
the  number  of  hot  biscuits  and  sweet  cakes  served 
up  is  almost  incredible  ;  and,  the  next  morning  after 
one,  I  have  seen  with  my  own  eyes  a  small  Cape  boy 
make  a  hearty  breakfast  of  pound  cake  with  plums 
in  it. 


412  TO  DIXIE  AND    THE  TROPICS. 

After  all,  life  on  the  Cape  is  more  like  holiday 
than  one  might  suppose  who  had  never  been  there. 
For  the  men,  being  mostly  seafaring,  they  do  their 
work  in  all  parts  of  the  world  rather  than  at  home. 
The  Cape  Codder  is  omnipresent.  He  casts  his  line 
wherever  there  are  codfish.  If  there  is  a  school  of 
bass  or  mackerel  on  any  coast,  he  is  after  them  with 
his  seine.  He  chases  whales  from  the  southern  fro 
zen  zone  to  the  northern  ;  and  will,  some  day,  throw 
his  harpoons  in  the  open  sea  at  the  pole.  In  all  the 
steamers,  liners,  packets,  he  is  captain  and  first  mate. 
On  the  high  seas,  or  the  coast,  there  is  no  better  man 
to  handle  a  ship.  You  find  him  in  all  the  crack  clip 
pers  ;  and  if  a  fore-and-aft  schooner  runs  her  nose 
into  any  strange  place,  ten  to  one  there  is  at  her  helm 
a  Cape  Codder.  He  has  also  been  in  his  day  a  fight 
ing  man.  Some  of  our  proudest  frigates  have  been 
sailed  by  him.  He  was  on  the  lakes  in  the  last  war 
with  England,  and  threw  up  his  cap  there ;  and  as 
for  privateering,  it  is  that  one  among  all  the  trades 
of  which  he  is  Jack  that  he  likes  best  to  turn  his 
hand  to.  Though  not  much  of  a  fist  at  inarching  on 
the  land,  the  Cape  Codder,  nevertheless,  was  at  Bun 
ker  Hill  and  Saratoga,  besides  having  fought  the 
French  and  Indians  in  the  old  wars,  and  shouldered 
arms  at  Quebec. 

But  when,  having  sailed  all  the  seas,  and  roved 


CAPE  COD.  413 

the  world   over,  he   comes  back  to  his   cot  in  the 
sands,  the  short  season  he  spends  at  home  is  a  holi 
day.     Then  give  him  a  fast  horse,  and  his  good  wife 
or  sweetheart  by  his  side.     He  must  go  to  see  all  his 
cousins.     Nor  does  any  man  have  so  many  uncles 
and  aunts,  and  kindred  of  various  degrees.     In  fact, 
nearly  all   the   inhabitants  are  first  cousins,   or  call 
themselves    such.       Therefore,    when    the    mariner 
comes  home,  there  must  necessarily  be  a  good  deal 
of  shaking  of  hands  and  merry  making.     Everybody 
must  tell  him  the  news ;  and  he,  in  return,  must  tell 
everybody  of  his  adventures  on  sea  and  shore.     He 
has  probably  seen  the  sea  serpent — at  least,  a  mer 
maid,  a  whale,  the  elephant  in  his  own  country,  or 
the  Grand  Mogul.     Undoubtedly,  the  longest  yarns 
are  spun  on  Cape  Cod  which  are  spun  anywhere  in 
this  country.     And   be  it  observed,  that   the    Cape 
Cod  man,  let  him  go  to  whatever  part  of  the  world 
he  may,  is  sure  to  come  back.     His  local  tastes  never 
die  out ;  and  where'er  he  roams,  at  every  step  away 
he  drags  a  lengthening  cable.      If  he  run  a  packet 
between  Boston  and  some  other  of  our  principal  sea 
port  cities,  he  does  not  remove  his  family  to  town ; 
but,  the  moment  he  gets  on  shore,  hies  away  to  the 
Cape.     He  does  not  like  the  air  of  great  cities,  and 
cannot  really  feel  at  home  anywhere  that  there  is  not 
sand  under  his   feet,  or  even  a  little  of  it  running 
over  his  shoe  quarters. 


414  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

This  disposition  to  keep  holiday  I  could  not  but 
notice  at  the  county  cattle  show.  There  was,  indeed, 
not  much  to  be  seen  or  heard: — only  the  farmer's  old 
"  Bright "  and  "  Gelding,"  with  his  everlasting  "  gee- 
up  "  and  "  haw-tu  ; "  only  a  few  pumpkins  that 
might  make  the  native  mouth  water  a  little  to  look 
at,  a  few  cranberries  as  big  as  your  thumb  and  dark 
as  mahogany,  which  it  is  mischievously  said  the  Cape 
girls  stain  their  cheeks  with ;  only  a  show  of  Mexi 
can  flint  cornstalks  a  dozen  feet  high,  just  to  show 
what  the  Cape  sand  could  do  ;  a  specimen  or  two  of 
"  quilting "  and  domestic  stocking  knitting ;  some 
curious  attempts  in  worsted  fine  art,  and  even  the 
beautiful  vanity  of  cotton  lace,  and  crocheting. 

But,  notwithstanding  the  little  to  be  seen,  every 
body  came  to  see  it.  They  came  three  women  in  a 
gig,  and  whole  families  in  carryalls  with  tops  of 
painted  canvas.  There  were  farmers  in  homespun, 
Quakers  in  drab,  sailors  in  tarpaulins,  and  retired 
captains  in  black  broadcloth.  Besides  a  few  great 
ladies  in  silks,  and  bonnets  worn  falling  in  the  neck, 
there  were  any  number  of  good,  plain,  buxom  house- 
Avives  in  their  best  bombazines  and  calicoes,  most  of 
them  with  bevies  of  daughters,  all  high  rigged,  in 
curls,  in  flounces,  with  petticoats  trimmed  with  lace, 
and  all  their  ribbons  flying.  I  saw  very  pretty  girls 
in  swings ;  and  very  eager  youths  buying  jack  knives, 


CAPE  COD.  415 

whips  with  whalebone  in  the  handle,  and  razors 
warranted  to  shave,  for  twenty-five  cents  apiece. 
Every  small  child's  mouth  was  running  over  with 
sugar  candy,  every  man's  with  tobacco,  and  every 
good-looking  woman's  with  smiles.  All  —  men, 
w^omen,  and  children — were  most  busily  doing  noth 
ing  ;  staring,  and  seeing  nothing ;  moving  hither 
and  thither,  and  going  nowhere  ;  and  all  appeared  to 
be  excessively  delighted.  Whoever  had  no  baker's 
gingerbread  in  his  pockets,  had  peanuts  in  them ; 
and  if  any  father  of  a  family  had  neglected  to  stuff 
his  coat  tails  with  buns  for  the  children  at  home,  be 
sure  his  better  half  had  not  forgotten  to  fill  her 
"  working  bag "  with  lions  and  elephants  in  cake, 
and  dogs  and  cats  in  sugar.  Almost  every  one 
seemed  to  have  bought  something,  and  nobody 
looked  as  though  he  had  been  "  sold."  They  that 
had  got  rattles  were  tickled,  and  so  were  they  who 
had  only  straws.  And  when,  finally,  at  the  close  of 
the  day,  the  brass  band  came  down  the  street,  play 
ing  the  old  tune  of  "  The  girl  I  left  behind  me,"  I 
remember  to  have  said  to  myself,  that  it  was  the 
happiest  holiday  I  had  seen  since  I  was  in  Spain. 

It  is  not  strange  that  locomotive  civilization 
should  not  yet  have  reached  the  end  of  the  Cape ; 
and  the  only  wonder  is,  that  the  railroad  should  have 
gone  as  far  as  it  has  before  being  effectually  run  into 


416  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

the  ground.  At  any  rate,  I  reverted  to  the  old,  cast- 
off  stage  coach  at  a  point  on  the  Cape  very  nearly 
amidships.  The  day  being  as  beautiful  as  the  last 
rose  of  autumn,  I  was  naturally  tempted  to  take  a 
seat  on  the  coach  box  ;  and,  seeing  no  person  present 
at  all  resembling  a  driver,  I  waived  the  ceremony  of 
asking  leave,  and  straightway  invited  myself  up. 
But  as  I  sat  there  quietly  looking  at  the  different  cut 
of  the  tails  of  the  four  horses,  I  was  taken  by  sur 
prise  at  seeing  a  small  boy  climb  to  the  seat  by  my 
side,  and  gather  up  the  reins,  as  if  he  were  really 
going  to  drive  the  coach  himself.  I  looked  at  the 
boy  again,  and  thought,  surely,  he  could  not  be 
turned  of  ten,  though  I  afterward  learned  that  he 
was  twelve,  being  &  U  for  his  age.  And  this  boy, 
said  I  to  myself,  is  evidently  going  to  drive  this 
coach-and-four  to  Orleans !  I  .immediately  took  out 
my  glass,  and  inspected  him  closely.  Was  he  Phae 
ton  ?  If  so,  he  would  doubtless  set  the  Cape  on  fire 
before  getting  to  the  first  stopping  place.  An  old 
whip  he  certainly  was  not.  Was  he  a  whip  at  all  ? 
There  he  sat  on  the  box,  a  boy  apparently  ten  years 
of  age,  and  his  legs  barely  long  enough  to  reach  the 
footboard.  By  and  by  he  encouraged  his  team  up  a 
hill  with  his  voice,  for  whip  he  had  not  yet  taken  in 
hand  ;  but  his  chirrup  had  the  clear,  decided  ring  of 
a  full-grown  hostler.  "  Get  along,  Chandler  Bob," 


CAPE  COD.  417 

said  he,  at  length,  addressing  the  nigh  wheel  horse  ; 
"  and  you,  Jaques,"  calling  to  the  off  leader.  But  I, 
meanwhile,  had  not  said  a  word,  and,  in  fact,  had 
scarcely  made  up  my  mind  what  to  say.  "  Eh,  there, 
Lizzie  !  what  are  you  doing  ?  "  called  out  the  young 
Jehu  to  the  rather  restless  mare  on  the  nigh  lead. 
Still  I  said  nothing ;  but,  screwing  my  glass  firmly 
into  my  right  eye,  looked,  at  intervals,  sharply  at  the 
boy.  Besides  his  thick  buckskin  gloves,  there  was 
nothing  in  his  appearance  in  the  least  degree  profes 
sional.  He  neither  wore  a  pea  jacket,  nor  was  he  in 
his  shirt  sleeves.  His  single-breasted  jacket,  but 
toned  close  in  the  neck,  was  a  plain  drab ;  and 
around  his  neck  was  a  clean,  modest  turn-over  collar, 
such  as  is  commonly  worn  *  boys  of  tender  age. 
"  Hunter !  "  he  exclaimed,  tnreateningly,  and  at  the 
same  time  offering  to  strike  the  off  wheeler  with  the 
slack  of  his  reins.  Whereupon  "  Hunter "  mended 
his  pace,  and  I  continued  my  observations.  The 
boy's  hat  was  a  nice  felt,  and  of  a  modest  color  cor 
responding  with  that  of  his  dress.  A  bourgeois, 
well-to-do  in  the  world,  would  not  dress  his  son  any 
better.  And  his  looks  were  in  keeping  with  his 
dress — his  complexion  being  a  healthy  brown,  almost 
an  olive,  but  with  no  red  in  it,  more  like  the  bark  of 
the  rose  than  its  flower.  Being  so  young,  his  fea 
tures,  of  course,  were  not  yet  very  definitely  chis- 
18* 


418  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

elled,  but  showed,  indistinctly,  the  outlines  of  a 
future  manliness.  Only  his  eye  was  already  perfect 
— being  a  large  dark  gray,  and  thickly  shaded  by 
long  black  lashes. 

"  Steady,  Lizzie  !  "  he  cried,  for  the  mare,  Avhich 
was  a  little  gay,  was  still  inclined  to  fret  occasionally. 

And  now,  taking  down  my  glass,  I  entered  into 
conversation  with  the  young  expert — for  such  he 
was,  beyond  all  question.  The  first  inquiry  one  gen 
erally  makes  of  boys  of  this  age  is,  "  What  is  your 
name  ?  "  I  used  a  little  circumlocutory  politeness, 
but  managed  to  find  out  that  the  lad's  name  was 
James.  The  second  question  naturally  is,  "  How  old 
are  you,  my  boy  ?  "  And  I  also  contrived  to  get 
this  information  from  the  little  man  Avithout  giving 
offence.  Then,  as  James  occasionally  threw  out  his 
foot  with  a  sideward  motion,  in  making  his  appeals 
to  "  Hunter,"  I  was  curious  to  know  the  reason  of  it. 

"  Hunter,"  said  he,  "  keeps  an  eye  on  me  from 
behind  his  blinder,  and  whenever  he  sees  this  motion 
of  the  foot,  he  thinks  I  am  going  to  kick  him." 

"  Arid  how  long  may  it  be  since  you  began  to 
drive  a  coach  ?  " 

"  I  go  to  school ;  but  I  have  driven  more  or  less 
since  I  was  eight  years  old." 

"  But  how  could  you  drive  a  coach  when  you 
were  only  eight  ?  " 


CAPE  COD.  419 

"  My  father  began  with  lashing  me  on  to  the  box, 
to  prevent  my  falling  off — for  I  couldn't  then  reach 
the  footboard — and  I  drove  so." 

By  this  time  my  interest  in  James  had  risen  to  a 
high  point,  and  I  afterward  learned  from  others  that 
this  account  of  himself  was  strictly  true.  Should  I 
ask  him  to  take  a  cigar  with  me  ?  Plainly  not. 
Here  was  a  specimen  of  "  Young  America  "  whose 
patriotism  evidently  did  not  consist  in  smoking  and 
chewing.  He  talked  familiarly  with  his  horses,  but 
did  not  swear  at  them.  There  was  nothing  of  the 
vulgar  stage  driver  about  the  lad,  no  taking  on  of 
airs,  no  slang  in  his  language,  no  brag.  He  had  not 
even  the  usual  frolic  and  roguery  of  his  years.  He 
did  not  crack  his  whip — using  it  only  to  threaten  the 
little  vagabonds  who  attempted  to  climb  up  on  the 
rack  behind  ;  and  there  wras  no  laughing  in  his  eyes, 
which  indicated  that  he  was  going  to  tip  the  coach 
over.  His  face  was  that  of  one  Avho  had  taken  re 
sponsibility  upon  himself,  and  felt  equal  to  it.  It 
beamed  with  intelligence  ;  but  the  expression  of  it 
was  firm,  self-restraining,  and  even  demure.  The 
impending  shadow  of  a  coming  man  darkened  in  it 
the  brightness  of  the  schoolboy.  I  afterward  learned 
that,  for  pluck,  the  little  fellowr  had  not  his  equal  in 
all  the  country  round.  If,  by  chance,  there  was  a 
horse  in  the  stable  that  nobody  dared  drive,  he 


420  TO   DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

would  beg  his  father  to  let  him  do  it.  And,  long 
before  leaving  the  coach  box,  I  came  distinctly  to  the 
conclusion  that  James — I  never  should  have  thought 
of  calling  him  Jimmy — by  the  time  he  was  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  would  be  "  up  "  for  Congress.  For 
surely  the  boy  who,  at  twelve  years,  can  drive  a  four- 
in-hand,  with  a  mettlesome  "  Lizzie "  among  them, 
will,  in  the  course  of  another  ten,  be  competent  to 
manage  such  an  ass  as  the  sovereign  people. 

So,  hurrah  for  the  Cape  Cod  boy,  James !  He 
took  me  into  Orleans  in  good  style,  having  made  his 
time  to  a  minute  ;  with  "  Lizzie  "  only  a  little  frothy, 
but  scarcely  a  wet  hair  on  either  "  Chandler  Bob  "  or 
"  Hunter." 

I  left  the  Cape  not  without  a  certain  feeling  of 
regret.  Perhaps  it  was  because  of  the  termination 
of  the  Indian  summer ;  and  I  had  to  exclaim  : 

"  Die  schoncn  Tage  in  Aranjuez 
Sind  nun  zu  Ende." 

And,  possibly,  the  unusually  neat  and  pretty  quar 
ters  in  which  I  had  spent  the  last  night  of  my  jour 
ney  might  have  had  something  to  do  with  it.  The 
fact  was,  that,  there  being  a  press  of  company  in  the 
inn,  some  kind-hearted  lady  had  surrendered  the  use 
of  her  apartment  for  the  accommodation  of  a  tired 
traveller.  Taking  note  of  this  on  my  entrance,  I 


CAPE   COD.  421 

should  have  been  strongly  tempted  to  refuse  taking 
advantage  of  such  generous  hospitality,  and  have 
contented  myself  with  the  use  of  three  chairs,  or  a 
sofa,  had  it  not  been  for  the  lateness  of  the  hour ; 
but,  under  the  circumstances,  nothing  else  could  well 
be  done  than  to  put  off  my  shoes  as  quickly  as  pos 
sible  in  such  a  sanctum — which  I  accordingly  did, 
and  gave  them  to  the  "  boots."  And  when  he  had 
departed,  the  mortification  of  my  gallantry  at  having 
taken  possession  of  the  room  was  so  great,  that  I 
exclaimed : 

"What  a  pretty  pickle  of  codfish  I  am  in 
now !  " 

But  I  endeavored  to  persuade  myself  that  the  fair 
occupant  was,  at  least,  not  a  person  of  tender  years ; 
and  seeing  a  shoe  case  hanging  against  the  Avail,  I 
asseverated  that  the  shoes  in  it — of  course,  I  did  not 
presume  to  examine  them  —  were  certainly  a  foot 
long ;  and  that  the  hoops  which,  doubtless,  were 
standing  up  in  the  closet,  instead  of  being,  as  they 
should  be,  no  larger  than  strawberry  baskets  when 
they  first  come,  had  been  taken  from  one  of  the  big 
gest  hogsheads  that  had  ever  drifted  ashore  on  the 
Cape.  These  suppositions,  to  be  sure,  were  very 
ungenerous,  and  would  not  have  much  helped  to 
pacify  my  mind,  had  I  not  happened  to  notice  a  few 


422  TO  DIXIE  AND   THE  TROPICS. 

verses  from  a  newspaper  pinned  on  the  wall,  the  con 
cluding  line  of  which  ran  as  follows  : 

"As  we  journey  through  life,  let  us  live  by  the  way" 

This  seemed  to  hit  my  case  pat.  Yes,  said  I,  this 
is  the  true  philosophy  of  life.  Especially,  let  a  man 
on  his  travels  live  as  he  goes  along,  and  sleep  where 
he  can,  giving  God  thanks  first,  and  next  to  woman. 
So,  laying  my  head  on  the  pillow,  I  likened  myself 
to  a  Mungo  Park,  succored  by  the  hand  of  woman  in 
a  strange  land,  where  Avas  none  else  to  help  him.  I 
slept  well.  And  the  next  morning,  on  opening  my 
window  toward  the  east,  and  seeing  the  dear  Cape 
lying  stretched  out  far  into  the  sea,  I  gave  to  the 
sands  my  parting  benediction — not  forgetting  the  fair 
ones  who  inhabit  them,  but  wishing  them  all  sorts  of 
good  things,  down  even  to  plenty  of  cranberries 
wherewith  to  make  their  pretty  red  cheeks  still 
redder. 


THE  END. 


N  B.-The  new  Tax  on  Books  and  Stereotyping,  and  the  further  advance 
n  the  cost  o  manufacture,  rend,,-  it  necessary  to  add  to  the  prices  in  the 
annexed  Catalogue,  viz.: 

^•~>  cents  per  volume  on    I2mo.s. 
•">0  cents  per  volume    on     8vos. 
The   above  addition  will   ]„.   made  on   the   ],f  of  Julu     1 8G4. 


LIST 

OF  *• 

CHOICE    BOOKS, 

PUBLISHED   BY 

G.   P.    PUTNAM.,   441    Broadway, 

Near  Howard  Street,  NEW  YORK, 


N.  B.— COMPLETION  OF  SETS.— All  persons  having  in 
complete  sets  of  IRVING'S  WORKS,  HOOD'S  WORKS,  BAY 
ARD  TAYLOR'S  WORKS,  or  the  REBELLION  RECORD,  are 

requested  to  order  immediately  the  volumes  or  numbers  required. 
After  a  reasonable  time  the  Publisher  cannot  undertake  to  furnish 
uniform  volumes  to  match  sets  heretofore  supplied. 


LIST 

OF  *• 

CHOICE    BOOKS, 

PUBLISHED   EY 

G.   P.    PUTNAM!,   44:1    Broadway, 

Near  Howard  Street,  NEW  YORK. 


N.  B.— COMPLETION  OF  SETS.— All  persons  having  in 
complete  sets  of  IRVING'S  WORKS,  HOOD'S  WORKS,  BAY 
ARD  TAYLOR'S  WORKS,  or  the  REBELLION  RECORD,  are 
requested  to  order  immediately  the  volumes  or  numbers  required. 
After  a  reasonable  time  the  Publisher  cannot  undertake  to  furnish 
uniform  volumes  to  match  sets  heretofore  supplied. 


BOOKS  ARE  THE  WINDOWS  THROUGH  WHICH  THE 
SOUL  LOOKS  OUT.  A  HOUSE  WITHOUT  BOOKS  IS  LIKE  A 
ROOM  WITHOUT  WINDOWS.  No  MAN  HAS  A  RIGHT  TO 
BRING  UP  HIS  CHILDREN  WITHOUT  SURROUNDING  THEM 
WITH  BOOKS,  IF  HE  HAS  THE  MEANS  TO  BUY  THEM.  IT 
IS  A  WRONG  TO  HIS  FAMILY.  HE  CHEATS  THEM. 

CHILDREN  LEARN  TO  READ  BY  BEING  IN  THE  PRESENCE 
OF  BOOKS.  THE  LOVE  OF  KNOWLEDGE  COMES  WITH 
READING  AND  GROWS  UPON  IT.  AND  THE  LOVE  OF 
KNOWLEDGE,  IN  A  YOUNG  MIND,  IS  ALMOST  A  WARRANT 
AGAINST  THE  INFERIOR  EXCITEMENT  OF  PASSIONS  AND 
VICES.  *  *  *  *  A  LITTLE  LIBRARY,  GROWING 

LARGER  EVERY  YEAR,  IS  AN  HONORABLE  PART  OF  A 

YOUNG  MAN'S  HISTORY.  IT  is  A  MAN'S  DUTY  TO  HAVE 
BOOKS.  A  LIBRARY  is  NOT  A  LUXURY,  BUT  ONE  OF  THB 

NECESSARIES    OF   LIFE.—  II.  W. 


NOW  EEADY.    PEICE  FIVE  CENTS,  POST  FKEE. 

Suggestions  for  Household  Libraries 

Of  ESSENTIAL  and  STANDARD  BOOKS,  and  the  most  economical  mode  of 
obtaining  them.  "With  impartial  lists  of  250,  500,  1,000,  and  1,250  volumes  of  the  best 
literature,  and  the  most  desirable  editions.  G.  P.  PUTNAM,  Library  Commission 
Agency,  441  Broadway,  New  York. 

ALSO  NOW  EEADY,  SENT  POST  FEEE,  FOE  35  CENTS. 

G.  P.  Putnam's  Classified  General  Catalogue 

Of  the  MOST  IMPOETANT  WORKS  in  every  department  of  Literature,  English 
and  American  editions,  with  prices  annexed,  pp.  259. 


Attractive   and   Standard   Books, 

PUBLISHED    BY 

G.  P.  PUTNAM,  ACT., 

441   BROADWAY,  New  York. 


THE 

LIFE   AND  LETTERS 

OF 

WASHINGTON     IRVING. 

BY   PIERRE  M.  IRVING 

NOW    COMPLETE   IN   FOUR     VOLUMES. 

"  A  delectable  book  for  all  time" 

SUNNYSIDE    EDITION,  Uniform  with  that  edition  of  living's 

Works,  large   I2mo,  cloth.     4  vols.,          .          .          .  $6.00 
LARGE  PAPER  EDITION — (only  250  copies  printed) — on  laid 

Paper,  square  8vo,  cloth.     4  vols.,  1 2.00 

LAID  PAPER  EDITION,  uncut.     4  vols.,      ....  8.00 

Half  Calf,  extra  or  antique,  large  1 2mo.     4  vols.,     .          .  1 1 .00 

THE  NATIONAL  (Subscribers')  EDITION.     Cloth,       .         .  7.00 

— the  same,  Half  Calf,  extra  or  antique,        .  12.00 


Those  who  are  seeking  for  something  particularly  attractive  and 
acceptable,  either  for  LITERARY  OR  ARTISTIC  MERIT,  or  as 
a  choice  specimen  of  American  progress  in  the  mechanical  part 
ofboolc-malcing,  to  present  to  friends  at  home  or  in  Europe,  or 
to  adorn  their  own  libraries,  are  invited  to  look  at 

The  Artists'  Splendid  Presentation  of 

IRVINGS'  SKETCH  BOOK. 

Illustrated  with  123  Designs  by  Eminent  Artists,  viz. : 

LEUTZE,  G.  L.  BROWN,  WHITE,  LITMLEY, 

HTTNTINGTON,  DARLEY,  RICHARDS,  CLINTON, 

HALL,  ELLIOTT,  CIIAPIMAN,  HENNESSEY, 

KENSETT,  SHATTITCK,  PARSONS,  OERTEL, 

GRAY,  HOPPIN,  HE  BRICK,  WILL, 

HART,  EHNINOER,  ETYNGE,  GUY, 

BELLOWS,  M'LENAN,  BEATJLIETJ,  McDoNOirGH, 

CASILEAR,  MCENTEE,  COLMAN,  ETC.,  ETC. 

Engraved  in  the  best  manner,  and  superbly  printed  by  ALVORD, 

and  bound  by  MATTHEWS. 

Small  folio,  Levant  Morocco,  in  a  box,  .  .  $15.00 

A  few  copies  in  unique  styles,    .          .          .          $18.00  to  $20.00 

This  is  generally  admitted  to  be  the  FINEST    AMERICAN    BOOK  yet 
published. 

OTHER  ATTRACTIVE  GIFT  BOOKS. 

RIP  VAN  WINKLE— 

Illustrated  with  13  Original  Designs  by  Eminent  Aidsts.  Ele 
gantly  Printed.  Small  Quarto.  Engraved  Cover.  Price, 
$1.25. 

THE  LEGEND  OF  SLEEPY  HOLLOW- 

Illustrated  with  I  o  Original  Designs  by  Eminent  Artists.  Ele 
gantly  Printed.  Small  Quarto.  Engraved  Cover.  Price, 
$1.50.  ^_ 

THE  HUDSON  LEGENDS— 

By  WASHINGTON  IRVING.  (Comprising  "  Sleepy  Hollow"  and 
"  Rip  Van  Winkle,")  With  23  Original  Designs  by  Emi 
nent  Artists.  Small  Quarto,  Cloth,  extra,  $3.50;  Moroc 
co,  extra,  $6.50. 


WASHINGTON   IRVING'S  WRITINGS. 


ALHAMBRA. 

By  WASHINGTON  IRVING. 

A  Residence  in  the  celebrated  Moorish  palace,  the  "Alhambra," 
with  the  historical  and  romantic  legends  connected  therewith. 

POPULAR  EDITION,  1  vol.,  12mo,  green  cloth,    ....  $1.50 

TINTED  EDITION,  Illustrated,  cloth,  gilt,  extra,       .         .         .  2.25 

"              "                 "          half  calf,  antique,          .         .         .  3.00 

half  calf,  extra,         .         .         .  3.00 

11  The  beautiful  Spanish  Sketch  Book,  the  Alhanibra,'1'1 — W.  II.  PRESCOTT. 

ASTORIA  ; 

or,  Anecdotes  of  an  Enterprise  beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
By  WASHINGTON  IRVING. 

"  It  is  a,  "book  to  put  in  yo^ir  library,  as  an  entertaining  very  well  writ' 
ten  account  of  savage  life  on  a  most  extensive  scale"— KEY.  SIDNEY 
SMITH. 

This  vohime  describes  the  first  great  explorations  of  the  Oregon  and 
adjacent  territories,  and  the  foivndation  of  the  great  wealth  of  Mr. 
John  Jacob  Astor. 

POPULAR  EDITION,  12mo,  green  cloth, '1.50 

TINTED  EDITION,  large  12mo,  half  calf,  extra,       .         .         .  3.00 

"      half  calf,  antique,         .         .         .         3.00 

BONNEVILLE'S    ADVENTURES. 

The  Adventures  of  Capt.  Bonneville,  U.  S.  A.,  in  the  Rocky 
Mountains  and  the  Far  West.  From  his  own  journals,  and 
illustrated  from  other  sources.  By  WASHINGTON  IRVING. 

POPULAR  EDITION,  12mo,  green  cloth, 1.50 

TINTED  EDITION,  large  12mo,  half  calf,  extra,       .         .         .  3.00 

"          "      half  calf,  antique,        .         .         .         3-00 

uftdl  of  exciting  incident,  *  *  with  the  power  and  the  charms 
i  romance.'1'1 — CHANCELLOR  KENT. 


G.    P.    PUTNAM  8  PUBLICATIONS. 


BRACEBRIDGE   HALL, 

or  the  Humourists.     By  WASHINGTON  IRVING. 

POPULAR  EDITION,  12mo,  green  cloth, $1.50 

TINTED  EDITION,  Illustrated,  large  12mo,  gilt,  extra,    .         .  2.50 

"              "                 "          half  calf,  extra,    ....  3.00 

"              "                 "          half  calf,  antique,     .         .         .  3.00 

ILLUSTRATED  (large  paper)  EDITION,  8vo,  cloth,         .         .         .  3.50 

"                 "         "             "         8vo,  gilt  edges,      .         .  4.00 

"                 "         "             «         8vo,  morocco,  extra,          .  6.50 

"                 "         "             "         8vo,  morocco,  antique,  .  6.50 

"  It  is  very  ill-natured,  hoioener,  to  object  to  what  7ias  given  us  so  much 
pleasure"— LOKD  JEFFREY. 

CHRONICLES  of  the  CONQUEST  of  GRANADA. 

By  WASHINGTON  IRVING. 

POPULAR  EDITION,  12mo,  green  cloth,      .         .         .         .         .         1.50 

TINTED  EDITION,  large  12mo,  half  calf,  antique,    .         .         .  3.00 

"       half  calf,  antique,        .         .         .         3.00 

"It  has  superseded  all  further  necessity  for  poetry,  and,  unfortunately 
for  me,  for  history.'1'' — "W.  II.  PKESCOTT. 

COLUMBUS  AND  HIS   COMPANIONS. 

The  Life  and  Voyages  of  Christopher  Columbus :  to  which  are 
added  those  of  his  Companions.  By  WASHINGTON  IRVING. 

POPULAR  EDITION,  3  vols.,  12mo,  green  cloth,  .         .         .         .  4.50 

TINTED  EDITION,  Illustrated,  3  vols.,  large  12mo,  half  calf    ant.,  8.00 

"         "      half  calf,  extra,  8.00 

OCTAVO  EDITION,  Illustrated,  3  vols.,  8vo,  cloth,  extra,     .         .  10.50 

"              "                 "             "         8vo,  half  calf,  extra,     .  15.00 

"               "                  "             "         8vo,  half  calf,  antique,      .  15.00 

8vo,  full  calf,  extra,      .  18.00 

"/»  treating  this  happy  and  splendid  subject,  Mr.  Irving  IMS  brought 

out  the  full  force  of  his  genius"— ALEX.  H.  EVERETT. 
"  The  noblest  monument  to  tJie  memory  of  Columbus.'1'' — "W.  II.  PRESCOTT. 
"It  will  supersede  all  other  wor7cs  on  the  subject,  and  never  be  itself  su~ 

perseded." — LORD  JEFFREY. 

CRAYON   MISCELLANY. 

Comprising  a  Tour  on  the  Western  Prairies ;  Ahbottsford  and 
Sir  Walter  Scott,  and  Newstead  Abbey  and  Lord  Byron. 
By  WASHINGTON  IRVING. 

POPULAR  EDITION,  1  vol.,  12mo, 1.50 

TINTED  EDITION,  large  12m  o,  half  calf,  antique,    .         .         .  3.00 

"  "  "         "       half  calf,  extra,  .         .         .         .         3.00 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  PUULICATIONS. 


DIEDRICH   KNICKERBOCKER'S 

HISTORY  OF  NEW  YORK,  from  the  beginning  of  the  World 
to  the  eud  of  the  Dutch  Dynasty :  Containing,  among  many 
surprising  and  curious  matters,  the  Unutterahle  Ponderings 
of  Walter  the  Doubter ;  the  Disastrous  Projects  of  William 
the  Testy ;  and  the  Chivalric  Achievements  of  Peter  the 
Headstrong — the  Three  Dutch  Governors  of  New  Amster 
dam  ;  being  the  only  Authentic  History  of  the  Times  that 
ever  hath  been  or  ever  will  be  published.  [By  WASHINGTON 
IRVING.] 

POPULAR  EDITION,  1  vol.,  12mo, $1.50 

TINTED  EDITION,  with  Plates  and  Cuts,  large  12mo,  gilt,  extra,  2.50 

«'     half  calf,  extra,  3.00 

"     half  calf,  ant.,  3.00 

ILLUSTRATED  (large  paper)  EDITION,  8vo,  cloth,          .         .         .  3.50 

mor.,  extra,    .         .  6.50 

mor.,  antique,     .         .  6.50 

calf,  antique,  red  edges,  6.50 

"  The  most  excellently  jocose  History  of  New  York.  *  *  *  Our  sides 
have  been  absolutely  sore  with  laughing."1* — SIP.  WALTER  SCOTT. 

"  A  book  of  unwearying  pleasantry." — EDWARD  EVERETT. 

"  The  most  elaborate  piece  ofhitmorin  our  literature."— H.  T,  TUCKERMAN. 

".Manly,  bold,  and  so  altogether  original,  witJiout  being  extravagant,  as 
to  stand  alone  among  the  labors  of  men.'1'1— BLACKWOOD'S  MAGAZINE 


MAHOMET  AND  HIS   SUCCESSORS. 

By  WASHINGTON  IRVING. 

POPULAR  EDITION,  2  vols.,  12mo,  green  cloth,  ....         3.00 
TINTED  EDITION,  EXTRA  PLATES,  2  vols.,  half  calf,  extra,      .  5.50 

half  calf,  antique,       .         5.50 

OLIVER  GOLDSMITH:   a  BIOGRAPHY. 

By  WASHINGTON  IRVING. 

POPULAR  EDITION,  1  vol.,  12mo,  green  cloth,     ....  1.50 

TINTED  EDITION,  Illustrated,  large  12mo,  gilt,  extra,      .         4  2.50 

half  calf,  antique,        *  3.00 

half  calf,  extra,       .  3.00 

7  have  read  no  biograpJiical  work  wJdcJi  carrier  forward  the  reader  so 
delightfully.  *    *  I  know  of  nothing  like  it."— WM.  CULLEN  BRYANT. 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


SALMAGUNDI. 

By  WILLIAM  IRVING,  JAMES  K.  PAULDING,  and  WASHING 
TON  IRVING. 

POPULAR  EDITION,  1  vol.,  12mo,  green  cloth,     ....  $1.50 

TINTED  EDITION,  1  vol.,  large  12mo,  green  cloth,  .         .         .  1.75 

"           "               "             half  calf,  extra,         .         .  3.00 

"             half  calf,  antique,           .  3.00 

LARGE  PAPER  EDITION,  8vo,  morocco,  extra,   ....  6.00 

"             "             "          "      morocco,  antique,     .         .         .  6.00 

"Full  of  entertainment,  with  an  infinite  variety  of  characters  and  cir 
cumstances,  and  with  that  amiable,  good-natured  wit  and  pathos" 
cfcc.—  E.  IL  DANA. 

SKETCH  BOOK 

OF  GEOFFKEY  CRAYON,  GENT. 
By  WASHINGTON  IRVING. 

POPULAR  EDITION,  1  vol.,  12mo,  green  cloth,    ....  1.50 

TINTED  EDITION,  with  Woodcuts,  cloth  gilt,  extra,         .         .  2.50 

"  "  "  half  calf,  antique,  .         .         .  3.00 

«  "  "  half  calf,  extra,  .         .         .  3.00 

SEE  the  Artist's  Edition  of  the  Sketch  BoolcJ\ 


"  It  is  positively  beautiful,"—  SIR  WALTER  SCOTT. 
"  This  exquisite  miscellany."  —  J.  G.  LOCKUAKT. 

TALES   OF  A  TRAVELLER. 

By  WASHINGTON  IRVING. 

POPULAR  EDITION,  1  vol.,  12mo,  green  cloth,    .         .         .  .         1.50 

TINTED  EDITION,  large  12mo,  with  cuts,  gilt,  extra,      .  .             2.50 

«              «           «           "       half  calf,  antique,       .         .  .          3.00 

«           "           "      half  calf,  extra,        .         .  .              3.00 

ILLUSTRATED  (large  paper)  EDITION,  8vo,  cloth,  extra,       .  .         3.50 

"                "         "              "         8vo,  morocco,  extra,  .             6.50 

"                u         «              "         gvo,  morocco,  antique,  .         6.50 

WOLFERT'S  ROOST. 

By  WASHINGTON  IRVING. 

POPULAR  EDITION,  1  vol.,  12mo,  green  cloth,    ....  1.50 

TINTED  EDITION,  large  12mo,  gilt,  extra,      .         .         .         .  2.50 

»  "  "          "      half  calf,  extra,  .         .         .         .  3.00 

"  «'  "  "      half  calf,  antique,    .         .         .  3.00 

"  We  envy  those  who  read  these  tales  and  sketches  of  character  for  the 
Jlrst  timt.r—  WESTMINSTER  KEVIEW. 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


.     $33.00 

extra   sheep,  [white,] 

37.00 
55  00 

half  calf,  extra, 
half  calf,  antique, 
half  morocco,  gilt  edges, 
full  calf,  extra,    . 
full  calf,  antique, 
full  morocco,  extra, 

60.00 
.       60.00 
65.00 
.       70.00 
70.00 
.       75.00 

WASHINGTON   IRVING'S   WHOLE   WORKS, 

Including  LIFE  OF  WASHINGTON,   SALMAGUNDI,    and  all  the 
Miscellaneous  Writings. 

Complete  in  Twenty-two  Volumes,  12mo. 

SUNNYSIDE  EDITION,  Tinted  Paper,  with  Vignettes, 
(a)  22  vols.,  r 
0)       « 
(e)       " 
W)       " 
00        " 
(/)      " 
(9)       " 
(A)       " 

(0      " 

WASHINGTON  IRVING'S  WRITINGS,  exclusive  of  "WASHINGTON" 
and  including  "  SALMAGUNDI."     Complete  in  17  Volumes. 

(&)  SUNNYSIDE  EDITION,  cloth,  extra, 25.50 

(I)  "  "         half  calf,  plain,         ....  40.00 

(m)          *'  "         half  calf,  antique,         ....  44.00 

(n)          "  "         half  calf,  extra,        ....  44.00 

(o)  "  "         full  calf,  extra, 48.00 

"  I  cannot  hesitate  to  predict  for  him  a  deathless  renown.  *  *  He 
whose  works  were  the  delight  of  our  fathers  and  are  still  ours,  will 
~be  read  with  the  same  pleasure  l»j  those  who  come  after  us." — WM. 
CULLEN  BRYANT. 

WASHINGTON  IRVING'S  WRITINGS,  NATIONAL  EDITION.      Illus 
trated.     On  superfine  tinted  paper. 

{gf°  This  edition  is  printed  only  for  Subscribers. 
Complete  in  Twenty-two  vols.,  extra  black  cloth,  bevelled  edges. 
^**  These  may  be  subscribed  for  to  be  delivered  monthly  or 
oftener,  for  $1.75  per  vol. 

(p]  A  Complete  Set,  37.00 

(q)  The  Same  E'dition,  cloth,  uncut,       .....  37.00 

(r)  "          "       extra  green  cloth,  cut  edges,  not  bevelled,  37.00 

(s)  «  "       half  calf,  extra, 65.00 

(t)  "  "       half  calf,  antique,         ....  65.00 

WASHINGTON  IRVING'S  WRITINGS,  with  his  LIFE  AND  LETTERS. 

Beautifully  Printed,  and  mostly  Illustrated.    LARGE  PAPER 

EDITION.  Twenty-six  volumes.  8vo,  Folded  and  coll.,  .  86.00 

Cloth,  gt.  tops, J2.00 

The  same,  in  half  calf,  extra, 140.00 

"          in  half  morocco,  gt.  tops, 

"          in  full  morocco,  extra, 175.00 

V  Early  application  should  bo  made  for  these,  as  only  100  sets  are  printed, 
and  no  more  will  be  done  in  this  style. 


o.  P.  PUTNAM'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


WASHINGTON. 

THE  LIFE  OF  GEORGE  WASHINGTON. 
By  WASHINGTON  IRVING. 

"His  Life  of  Washington  is  a  marvel" — GEO.  BANCROFT. 

I.  POPULAR  EDITION,  5  vols.,  12mo,  green  cloth,       .         .         .  $7.50 

"               "             "         12mo,  sheep,  extra,          .         .  8.50 

II.  SUNNYSIDE  EDITION,  with  plates,  5  vols.,  12mo,  cloth,  .         .  8.00 

12mo,  half  calf,  extra,  13.50 

12mo,  half  calf,  ant,  13.50 

12mo,  hf.  mor.,  gt.  ed.,  15.00 

12mo,  full  calf,  extra,  16.00 

12mo,  full  mor.  gt.  ed.,  17.00 

III.  UNION  EDITION,  steel  plates,  5  vols.,  small  8vo,  cloth,  uncut,  8.50 

"             "                "               "              "        "     hf.cf.,  extra,  15.00 

"               "              "        "     hf.  cf.,  ant,  15.00 

"             "                "               "                       "     full  cf.,  ext,  16.00 

"             "               "              "              "       "     full  mor.  ex.,  18.00 

IV.  LIBRARY  EDITION,  octavo,  5  vols.,  cloth,       ....  10.00 

"               "             "         "           sheep,           .         .         .  12.50 

"               "             "         "           half  calf,  antique,    .         .  16.00 

"               "             "         "          half  calf,  extra,    .         .  16.00 

V.  MOUNT  VERNON  EDITION,  100  Steel  Plates  and  40  Wood  Cuts, 
on   tinted  paper.      A   new  and  superb    edition.      5  vols., 

square  8vo,  cloth, 17.50 

half  calf,  extra,  .         .  26.00 

half  calf,  antique,  .         .  26.00 

half  morocco,  gilt   tops,  26.00 

full  calf,  extra,        .         .  28.00 

full  morocco,  gilt  edges,  30.00 

full  morocco,  gilt,  extra,  30.00 

VI.  ILLUSTRATED  (large  paper)  EDITION,  5  vols.,  royal  8vo,  half 

calf,  antique, 30.00 

half  calf.,  extra,  30.00 

full  mor.,  extra,  36.00 

a**  In  this  edition  the  pages  are  enclosed  in  lines. 

VII.  AMATEURS'  (Quarto)  EDITION,  with  102  Steel  Plates,  proofs 

on  India  Paper,  5  vols.,  quarto,  morocco,  extra,         .         .  110.00 

%.  Of  this  superb  edition  only  110  were  printed,  and  but  3  copies  remain  unsold 


AN  EDITION  FOR  CANVASSERS  is  also  printed  in  ONE  large 
volume,  double  columns,  with  Twenty  Steel  Plates.  Price, 
$5,  in  cloth.  Also,  in  Twenty-Six  Numbers,  with  Fifty- 
Two  Plates.  Price,  25  cents  per  number — makiag  two  hand 
some  volumes.  Price,  ....  7.50 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


WASHINGTON   ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Comprising  102  Steel  Plates,  Proof-impressions  on  India  Pa 
per,  including  70  Portraits  of  eminent  men  of  the  Revolu 
tion,  and  30  Historical  Scenes  by  Darley,  Trumbull,  £c. 

Quarto,  in  portfolio, <  .     $25.00 

Any  Plate  may  Le  had  separately,  price         ....  .40 

WASHINGTON  ILLUSTRATIONS  to  match  the  Svo  edition,  1  vol.,  cloth,       G.OO 


BAYARD   TAYLOR'S   WRITINGS. 


"  There  is  no  romance  to  us  quite  equal  to  one  of  Bayard  Taylor's  boofca 
of  travel."— HAETFORD  KEPUBLICAN. 

ELDORADO ; 

Oa,  ADVENTURES    IN    THE   PATH    OF  EMPIRE,  (Mexico  and 

California.) 
12mo,  cloth, $1.50 

CENTRAL   AFRICA; 

LIFE  AND  LANDSCAPE  FROM  CAIRO  TO  THE  WHITE  NILE. 
Two  plates  and  cuts,  12mo, 1.50 

GREECE  and   RUSSIA; 

WITH  AN  EXCURSION  TO  CRETE. 
Two  plates,  12mo, 1.50 

HOME  and   ABROAD; 

A  SKETCH  BOOK  OF  LIFE,  SCENERY,  AND  MEN. 
Two  plates,  12mo,  cloth, 1.50 

HOME  and  ABOAD — (Second   Series.) 

A  new  volume,  just  published,  (1862.) 
Two  plates,  I2mo,  cloth, 1.50 

INDIA,  CHINA,  and    JAPAN. 

Two  plates,  12mo,  cloth,  .  1.50 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  PUBLICATIONS, 


BAYARD  TAYLOR'S  WRITINGS — Continued. 

LANDS   OF  THE   SARACEN; 

Or,  PICTURES  OF  PALESTINE,  ASIA  MINOR,  SICILY,  AND  SPAIN. 
With  two  plates,  12mo,  cloth,  .......       $1.50 

NORTHERN   TRAVEL  ; 

SUMMER  AND  WINTER  PICTURES  or  SWEDEN,  DENMARK,  AND 

LAPLAND. 
Two  plates,  12mo,  cloth, 1.50 

VIEWS   A-FooT ; 

OR,  EUROPE  SEEN  WITH  KNAPSACK  AND  STAFF. 
12mo, I-50 

HANNAH   THURSTON  : 

A  STORY  OF  AMERICAN  LIFE, 1.50 

BAYARD  TAYLOR'S  TRAVELS. 

POPULAR  EDITION,  complete  in  9  vols.,  12mo,  cloth,  extra,  .  13.50 

"  "  "  "  "       sheep,  extra,  .  15.50 

"  »  '<  "  "       half  calf,  extra,  .  22.50 

"  l(  "  "  "       half  calf,  ant.,  .  22.50 

BAYARD  TAYLOR'S   PROSE   WRITINGS. 

CAXTON  EDITION,  printed  for  subscrihers.      In   10  vols.,  on 

tinted  paper.     Issued  monthly.     Price,  per  vol.,         .         .         1.75 

The  volumes  are  issued  as  follows  : 
I.  HOME  AND  ABROAD. 
II.  VIEWS  A-FOOT. 

III.  HOME  AND  ABROAD.     SECOND  SERIES. 

IV.  ELDORADO. 

V.  CENTRAL  AFRICA. 
VI.  LANDS  OF  THE  SARACEN. 
VII.  INDIA,  CHINA,  AND  JAPAN. 
VIII.  NORTHERN  TRAVEL. 
IX.  GREECE  AND  RUSSIA. 
X.  HANNAH  THURSTON. 


G.  p.  PUTNAM'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


A  Magnificent  and  Valuable  Work. 

THE  ARCHITECTURAL  INSTRUCTOR; 

Containing  a  History  of  Architecture  from  the  Earliest  Ages  to  tho 
Present  Time;  illustrated  with  nearly  250  Engravings  of  Ancient, 
Mediaeval,  and  Modern  Cities,  Temples,  Palaces,  Cathedrals,  and 
Monuments;  also,  the  Greek  and  Early  Koinan  Classic  Orders, 
their  principles  and  "beauties ;  with  a  large  number  of  Original 
Designs  of  Cottages,  Villas,  and  Mansions  of  different  sizes,  accom 
panied  with  practical  observations  on  Construction,  with  all  the 
important  details,  on  a  scale  sufficiently  large  and  definite  to  enable 
the  Builder  to  execute  with  accuracy ;  and  further  Designs  of 
Churches,  Monuments,  and  Public  Buildings ;  together  with  a 
Glossary  of  Architectural  Terms;  the  whole  being  the  result  of 
more  than  Thirty  Years'  Professional  Experience.  By  MINAED 
LAFEVER,  Architect. 

1  vol.,  large  quarto,  half  morocco,  gilt  tops,       ....     $16.00 

***  Tliis  handsome  volume  is,  probably,  the  most  comprehensive  single 
volume  on  architecture  ever  published — embracing  a  full  History 
of  Architecture  from  the  earliest  times,  and  also  a  complete  treatise 
on  its  theory  and  practice,  with  designs  for  modern  houses,  public 
buildings,  churches,  &c.  Jt  should  be  in  every  good  library  for 
general  reference,  as  well  as  in  the  hands  of  every  architect.  Mr. 
Lafever  icas  one  of  the  most  eminent  and  thorough  architects  in  the 
country. 

AMERICAN  HISTORICAL  AND  LITERARY  CURIOSITIES; 

Consisting  of  Facsimiles  of  Original  Documents  relating  to 
the  Events  of  the  Revolution,  &c.,  &c.,  with  a  variety  of 
Keliqucs,  Antiquities,  and  Modern  Autographs.  Collected 
and  Edited  by  JOHN  JAY  SMITH  and  JOHN  F.  WATSON. 

Sixth  edition,  with  improvements  and  additions. 
Large  quarto,  cloth,  gilt  tops, 8.00 

"          "       half  morocco,  gilt  edges,          ....  10.00 

A  SECOND  SERIES  (COMPLETE  IN  ITSELF)  OF 

American  Historical  and  Literary  Curiosities; 

Consisting  of  Facsimiles  relating  to  Columbus,  and  Original 
Documents  of  the  Revolution,  with  Reliques,  Autographs, 
&c.  Edited  by  JOHN  JAY  SMITH. 

Quarto,  cloth, 8.00 

"       half  morocco,  gilt  edges, 10.00 

WASHINGTON  PORTRAITS. 

The  Character  and  Portraits  of  Washington.  By  HENRY  T. 
TUCKERMAN.  With  12  Portraits,  proofs  on  India  Paper. 
Only  150  printed. 

Quarto,  cloth, 6.00 

"       in  a  portfolio, 6.00 

REBEL  RHYMES  AND  RHAPSODIES— 

The  Curiosities  of  Southern  Literature  of  the  Times.     Edited 
by  FRANK  MOORE. 
'  Black  and  Yellow,          ....  1.00 


o.  P.  PUTNAM'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


New  Romance  of  Real  Life. 

UNDERCURRENTS   OF   WALL   STREET; 

A  ROMANCE  OF  BUSINESS.     By  RICHARD  B.  KIMBALL, 

Author  of  "  ST.  LEGKR."     1  vol.,  12mo,  5th  Edition.  .       $1.50 

ST.  LEGER  ;    THE   THREADS   OF   LIFE. 

By  RICHARD  B.  KIMBALL.     Ninth  Edition,  12mo,  cloth,         .         1.50 

"  Ifind  great  poiver  and  beauty  in  your  booJc,  and  a  fertility  of  inven 
tion  almost  prodigal." — WASHINGTON  IKYING. 

"J.  brilliant  book,  full  of  suggestions  of  wisdom."—  NEW  YOKK  TEIBUNE. 
"J.  book  of  great  strength.'''' — N.  Y.  EVENING  POST. 

"Who  is  the  author  of  this powerfully-written  look f  "— PHILADELPHIA 

EVENING  BULLETIN. 
"Jlere,  there,  and  everywhere,  the  author  gives  exhibitions  of  passionate 

and  romantic  power.'" — LONDON  ATHENAEUM. 

"A  very  extraordinary  book." — LONDON  MORNING  POST. 


The  American  Robinson  Crusoe. 

KALOOLAH  ; 

A  ROMANCE.     By  W.  STARBUCK  MAYO,  M.  D. 
In  1  vol.,  12rno,  512  pages,  with  illustrations  hy  Darley,  .         .         1.50 

"  The,  most  singular  and  captivating  romance  since  Robinson  Crusoe" 

— HOME  JOURNAL. 
"  By far  the  most  fascinating  and  entertaining  book  we  hare  ever  read 

since  we  were  fascinated  by  the  graceful  inventions  of  the  Arabian 

Nights." — DEMOCRATIC  EEVIEW. 

#**  Mr.  "Washington  Irving  considered  Kaloolah  to  be  a  work  of  decided 
genius,  and  of  extraordinary  interest.  The  description  of  the  magnifi 
cent  city  of  Killoam,  the  capital  of  the  great  nation  in  the  heart  of 
Africa,  includes  a  capital  commentary  and  satire  on  the  municipal 
regulations  of  American  cities,  and  especially  of  New  York. 

ANGLO-SAXON  GRAMMAR. 

A  GRAMMAR  OF  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  LANGUAGE.      By  L.  F, 

KLIPSTEIN.     12rao,  cloth, 1.25 

#*£  The  best  Anglo-Saxon  Grammar  in  the  language. 

MANUAL   OF   POLITICAL   ECONOMY. 

By  E.  PESBINE  SMITH.     12mo,  cloth, 1.25 

#*#  Used  as  a  text'book  at  Princetcn  and  other  colleges,  and  well  adapted 
for  popular  reading. 

ELEMENTS   OF   GEOLOGY. 

Intended  for  the  use  of  Students.  By  SAMUEL  ST.  JOHN,  Pro 
fessor  of  Chemistry  and  Geology  in  the  College  of  Physicians 
and  Surgeons,  New  York.  Eleventh  Edition.  12mo,  cloth,  .  1.25 


G.    P.    PUTNAM  S   PUBLICATIONS. 


THE   WORLD'S   PROGRESS  ; 

A  DICTIONARY  OF  DATES  :    From  the   Creation  to  A.D. 

1861.     Edited  by  G.  P.  PUTNAM,  A.  M.,  Hou.  Mem.  Conn. 

Historical  Society,  Wisconsin  Historical  Society,  &c. 
[An  entirely  new  edition,  with  copious  additions  ;    including 

the  most  "important  facts  in  the  History  of  the  World,  down 

to  the  Inauguration  of  Abraham  Lincoln.] 
The  volume  now  contains  more  than  ONE  MILLION  FACTS,  on  all 

topics  connected  with  the  progress  of  society,  from  the  earliest 

period  to  the  present,  arranged  for  convenient  reference. 

1  vol.,  large  I2mo,  over  800  pages, $2.50 

half  calf,  extra,        .         .  3.50 

A  few  copies  on  large  paper, 4.00 

do                do            interleaved,  half  morocco,  .         .     •  7.00 

"A  more  convenient  literary  labor-saring  machine  than  thin  excellent 
compilation,  can  scarcely  be  found  in  any  language.'" — NEW  YORK 
TRIBUNE. 

"  It  has  been  planned  so  as  to  facilitate  access  to  the  largest  amount  of 
useful  information  in  the  smallest  possible  compass." — BUFFALO 
COURIER. 

"  The  best  manual  of  the  kind  that  has  yet  appeared  in  the  English  lan 
guage.'''' — BOSTON  COURIER. 

"An  exceedingly  valuable  book;  wellnigh  indispensable  to  a  very  large 
portion  of  the  community" — COURIER  AND  ENQUIRER. 

"It  is  absolutely  ESSENTIAL  to  the  desk  of  every  MERCHANT  and  the  table 
of  every  STUDENT  and  PROFESSIONAL  "MAN." — CHRISTIAN  ENQUIRER. 

Uniform  icith  the  Above. 

CYCLOPEDIA  OF  UNIVERSAL  BIOGRAPHY. 

By  PARKE  GODWIN,  Esq.,  Author  of  the  "  History  of  France." 
New  edition,  with  continuation  to  18G3. 

1  vol.,  large  12mo, 2.50 

The  same  in  8vo, 4,00 

The  Best  and  Most  Complete  Edition. 

PAPERS   FOR  THE   PEOPLE. 

A  Series  of  Popular  and  Instructive  Papers  on  History,  Archae 
ology,  Biography,  Science,  Industrial  and  Fine  Arts,  Civil 
ization,  Fiction,  Personal  Narrative,  arid  other  branches  of 
Elegant  Literature.     Edited  by  ROBERT  CHAMBERS. 
12  vols.,  12mo.     Bound  in  6.     Red  cloth,  in  a  box.     Price,       .         6.00 
*%  These  admirable  volumes  comprise  about  3,500  large  and  substantial 
pages,  including  a  great  variety  of  valuable  and  entertaining  information 
on  the  subjects  above  indicated,  interspersed  with  attractive  narratives 
and  tales,  and  all  written  with  eminent  ability  by  some  of  the  most 
competent  authors  of  the  day. 
The  work  is,  in  fact,  a  little  LIBRARY  IN  ITSELF,  eminently  worthy  of  a  place 

in  every  household,  and  attractive  alike  to  young  and  old. 
It  is  probably  the  CHEAPEST  WORK  (considering'its  eminent  excellence  and 

value)  ever  published. 

Every  FAMILY,  and  -every  PUBLIC  LIBRARY  and  SCHOOL  LIBRARY,  should 
have  a  copy. 

The  above  work  is  also  issued  in  parts,  royal  8vo,  each  part  con 
taining  two  distinct  works,  with  a  steel  plate,     .         .         .  .25 


rrc  and  (Kntoteinmjg  lUadiitg  for  ito 


THE 

Aldine  Edition  of  Thomas  Hood. 

SONG  [BEING  TIIE  FIRST  EVER  PUBLISHED  COMPLETE.]          BUIIWK 

OF  A  OF 

81IIBT.  BIU1IS. 

NOW  FINISHED  TN  6  ELEGANT  VOLUMES. 

(Following  the  NATIONAL  EDITION  OF  IRVING.) 

MISS  DREAM 

KILMANSEOQE.  OP 

EUGENE  AKAM. 

The  Works  of  Thomas  Hood, 

WHIMS  AND  }  IN  PROSE  AND  VERSE,  {  ODDITIES. 

EDITED    BT   EPES   SJRGENT. 

ILLUSTRATED    WITH    WOODCUTS    FROM    HOOD*S    OWN    DESIGNS,  AND 
WITH    VIGNETTES    ON    STEEL. 

Elegantly  Printed  on  Superfine  Tinted  Paper,  in  small  octavo. 

THE  WORKS  ARE  ISSUED  IN  MONTHLY  VOLUMES. 

Each,  in  Cloth,  extra,  $1.75,-   Uncut,  $1.75  ;    Half  Calf,  extra,  $3.00  ; 
Half  Calf,  antique,  $3.00. 

"  Subtle  raiicy,  lively  wit,  copious  language,  and  mellow  versification,  are  the  undoubted 
qualities  of  Hood  as  a  poet  But,  besides,  there  are  two  or  three  moral  peculiarities  about 
him  as  delightful  as  his  intellectual ;  and  they  are  visible  in  his  serious  as  well  as  lighter 
productions.  One  is  his  constant  lightsomeness  of  spirit  and  tone.  *  *  *  But  best  of 
all  in  Hood  is  that  warm  humanity  which  beats  in  all  his  writings.  His  is  no  ostentatious 
or  systematic  philanthropy ;  it  is  a  mild,  cheerful,  irrepressible  feeling,  as  innocent  and  ten 
der  as  the  embrace  of  a  child.1'—  Taifs  Magazine. 

"  Hood's  verse,  whether  serious  or  comic — whether  serene,  like  a  cloudless  autumn  even 
ing,  or  sparkling  with  puns,  like  a  frosty  January  midnight  with  stars,  was  ever  pregnant 
with  materials  for  thought."— Z>.  M.  Moir. 

"  In  the  whole  range  of  his  works  there  is  not  a  single  line  of  immoral  tendency,  or 
calculated  to  pain  an  individ  ual." — Literary  Gazette. 

"The  master-spirit  of  modern  whim  and  drollery.1'— London  At?ienceum. 

His  writings  will  "  make  the  thoughtful  wiser,  and  the  unthinking  merrier."— Jfew 
Monthly  Magazine. 

Complete  sets  of  this  leautifnl  Edition  neatly  put  up  in  boxes.     Price,  in  Cloth, 
$10.00.     Half  Calf,  extra  or  antique,  $18.00. 


To  follow  the  NATIONAL  EDITION  OF  IRVING. 


Carton  Edition  of  BATARD  TATLOR'S  WORKS. 


Now  Ecady,  simultaneously  with  the  Aldine  Edition  of  Thomas  Hood, 

THE 

PROSE    WRITINGS 

OF 

BAYARD  TAYLOR. 

In  10  xols,,  small  8vo,  elegantly  printed,  on  superfine  tinted  paper, 

With  Several  STEEL  VIGNETTES.    Price  $1  75  per  vol.,  in  extra  cloth. 

"  Views  A-Foot," 

The  first  volume  of  Bayard  Taylor's  Travels,  was  issued  in  1S4T,  since  which  nearly  40,000 
copies  have  been  called  for,  and  the  demand  for  this  and  the  later  volumes  continues  to  bo 
remarkably  large  and  constant.  Probably  no  similar  publications  by  a  young  author 
were-  ever  received  with  such  general  favor,  or  readied  so  large  a  sale.  Excepting  only 
Kane's  Arctic  Voyages,  perhaps  no  other  American  book  of  Adventure  has  been  more 
popular  with  the  people  at  large. 

In  accordance  with  suggestions  from  various  quarters,  and  to  meet  the  improved  stand 
ard  of  taste  and  excellence,  in  book-making,  the  publisher  will  issue  these  popular  volumes 
at  monthly  intervals,  printed  on  a  superior  tinted  paper,  with  vignette  engravings ;  and  taste 
fully  bound  in  vols.,  ranging  with  Irving  and  Hood.  The  volumes  will,  be  issued  in  the 
following  order  : 

HOME  AND  ABROAD.  CENTRAL  AFRICA. 

HOME  AND  ABROAD,  LANDS  OF  THE  SARACEN. 

(Second  Series— A  new  vol.)  INDIA,  CHINA,  AND  JAPAN. 

VIEWS  A-FooT.  NORTHERN  EUROPE. 

ELDORADO.  GREECE  AND  RUSSIA. 
HANNAH  T 


Subscriptions  received  by  the  present  agents  for  the  Subscription  edition  of  Irving. 
Price,  in  Half  Calf,  extra  or  antique,  $3.00  per  vol. 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


RTJTTA.N 

ON 

WARMING   AND   VENTILATING 

PUBLIC  BUILDINGS,  RAILROAD  CARS,  &c. 

WITH  PLATES. 
Royal  8vo,     . .         .         .        $3.50 


HISTORY   OF  THE   BANK   OF   ENGLAND. 

EDITED   BY  J.    SMITH   ROMANS. 
8vo,  cloth, .        .         .         .        .         .„        3.00 

***  This  work  includes  a  comprehensive  FINANCIAL  HIS 
TORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


The  Illustrated  Edition  of  the 

LIFE    AND    LETTERS 

OF 

WASHINGTON    IRVING., 

A  few  copies,  on  large  paper,  with  extra  engravings  on  steel, 

elegantly  bound  in  morocco,  gilt  edges.     4  vols.  8vo,         .         32.00 


The  People's  Edition  of  the 

LIFE  OF   WASHINGTON  ; 

With  52  steel  plates.     Complete  in  2  vols.,  Royal  8vo.  ' 

Half  calf,  extra,  marbled  edges 11.00 

Half  morocco,  gilt  edges  ;   or  half  calf,  gilt  edges,    .         .         .  12.50 

Morocco,  extra, 16.00 


G.    P.   PUTNAM'S   PUBLICATIONS. 


THE  GREAT  "LIVING  HISTORY." 
THE   REBELLION   RECORD. 

Edited  by  FRANK  MOOKE. 

[This  work  is  the  great  storehouse  of  authentic  information  on  all  points 
connected  with  the  gigantic  Southern  conspiracy  and  war  against  the  Union 
and  the  Government.  It  includes  all  state  papers  and  official  documents  of 
value,  both  National  and  Eebel,  without  note  or  comment;  and  comprises, 
besides,  a  comprehensive  repository  of  curious  and  valuable  materials 
for  history;  spirited  and  picturesque  letters  and  narratives;  anecdotes, 
lyrics,  etc.,  etc.  Nearly  500  different  newspapers,  North  and  South,  have 
been  collected  regularly  and  carefully  throughout  the  war,  in  order  that 
all  facts  and  reports  might  be  thoroughly  collated  and  digested.  Much  has 
been  derived  directly  from  the  highest  official  sources,  and  heads  of  depart 
ments  have  repeatedly  stated  that  this  work  is  to  them  indispensable  for 
constant  reference.  Unlike  numerous  hastily-prepared  and  premature 
"  histories,"  this  work  is  the  very  foundation  of  all  histories  of  this 
period,  inasmuch  as  it  alone  furnishes  the  original  documents,  in  the 
most  reliable  and  authentic  shape;  and,  in  many  cases,  the  reports  are  pre 
pared  or  revised  by  the  authors  expressly  for  this  work.  It  includes,  also, 
a  full  DIARY  and  comprehensive  NARRATIVE.] 

Six   volumes,  Eoyal  Svo,  with  59  portraits  on  steel,  with  Maps  arid  full 
Indices. 

Price,  In  cloth, $25.50 

sheep, 27.00 

half  calf,  antique, 33.00 

half  morocco, 33.00 

***  Spontaneous  tributes  to  the  great  value  and  importance  of  this  work 
are  constantly  received  from  the  most  eminent  statesmen  and  scholars 
in  the  nation.  For  the  better  information  of  the  statesmen  and  people, 
of  Europe,  it  has  been  proposed,  by  disinterested  and  influential  per 
sons,  that  a  large  number  of  sets  should  be  sent  abroad,  and  many 
individuals  have  already  sent  the  work  to  their  European  friends.  It 
is  regularly  ordered,  also,  by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and 
by  all  the  Departments  of  the  National  Government. 


THE  PORTRAIT  GALLERY  OF  THE  WAR 

A    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD    OF   MEN    DISTINGUISHED    IN 
AMERICAN  ANNALS,  CIVIL,  MILITARY.  AND  NAVAL.    Ed 
ited  by  FKANK  MOORE. 
Published  only  for  Subscribers.    Supplied  by  DEEBY  &  MILLER,  General  Agents 

With  sixty  fine  portraits  on  steel.     In  one  volume.  Eoyal  Rvo.      Hand 
somely  Printed. 

V*  An  edition  WITHOUT  THE  PORTRAITS  will  also  be  issued  uniform  Avith  the 
'•Rebellion  Record,"  aud  as  a  companion  to  that  work 


G.    P.    PUTNAM'S   PUBLICATIONS. 


The  most  popular  book  of  the  year. 

EATARD  <T4TLOKS  NEW  NO^EL. 
HANNAH  THURSTON  : 

A  STOET  OF  AMERICAN  LIFE. 

lvol.,12mo,         ..." $150 

*x*  The  success  of  this  book  at  home  and  in  England  has  been  so 
remarkable  and  so  thorough,  that  the  publisher  deems  it  quite 
unnecessary  to  quote  any  more  of  the  criticism,  almost  unani 
mously  in  its  favor  as  a  book  of  unusual  merit  and  interest. 


The  "RED,  WHITE,  AND  BLUE"  SERIES  of 

NATIONAL  SONGS  AND   BALLADS. 

Collected  and  arranged  by  FRANK  MOOBB. 

Neatly  Printed  by  IIOITGHTON,  on  laid  paper,  and  bound  by  MATTHEWS. 
24mo.    viz. : 

(i.)    Lyrics  of  Loyalty. 

(Now  ready), $1.00 

(2.)    Songs  of  the  Soldiers. 

(In  Press), J..OO 

(3.)    Personal  and  Political  Ballads  of  the  Times. 

i.oo 


The  "BLUE  AND  GOLD"  SERIES 

FKOM  THE  RIVERSIDE  PRESS. 

IRVING'S   SKETCH   BOOK. 

Complete  in  one  Pocket  Volume,  "Blue  and  Gold," $1.00 

Uniform  with  the  above  are : 

LONGFELLOW'S  PROSE  WRITINGS.    2  vols., 2.00 

"                   POETICAL  WRITINGS     2  vols., 2.00 

TENNYSON'S  POETICAL  WORKS.     2  vols., 2.00 

LOWELL'S                  "                  «             2  vols., 2.00 

WHITTIER'S              "                  "             2  vols., 2.00 

HOLMES,  SAXE,  MOTHERWELL,  &o.    Each,  per  vol.,         ....  1.00 


The  KNICKERBOCKER  SERIES. 

***  The  page  and  type  of  this  series  have  been  carefully  studied, 
with  a  view  to  attain  a  page  most  attractive  to  the  eye,  in  a 
snug,  portable,  and  elegant  volume,  which  shall  be  the  best  size 
for  the  fireside  or  the  traveller's  bag. 

Toe  first  of  the  series  is 


IRVING'S   KNICKERBOCKER 


With  new  Vignettes  by  DAKLEY.    ICmo,  vellum  Cloth,  gilt  tops. 


14  DAY  USE 

IN         DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


-sTVr'fi'WW           MAY  22  1967  D  a 

2  Jcc  0£"v  vv 

f 

WY2267-WAM 

ig 

fi^A-a.  M-*       ; 

23  '1™ 

prren^^ 

^ft«9' 

R\EjC£!IVE!.D 

fW»Tl  W    £ 

AUG22  66  GPM 

LOAN  DEPT. 

LD  21A-50?7i-3,162 
(C70'J7slO)476B 


General  Library 

University  of  California 

Berkeley 


